“As he is unfit to march, if you desire it, Mr Twigg, I will leave him here in command of a detachment sufficient to protect the house,” said Major Malcolm, “as probably the marines and sailors may be required on board their ship, to render aid in other directions.”
Norman Foley was not especially obliged to the major for this offer, as he had thought it possible that he might again have been sent on shore in command of a party to protect the house. He had now, however, no excuse for remaining; he was therefore compelled, very unwillingly, to order his men to prepare for embarking.
“You will write to Norah, Miss Ferris,” said Gerald, as he was wishing good-bye. “Tell her all about me, and say that I hope to see Owen Massey when he comes back again in the Ouzel Galley; and also tell her that we had a brush with, we believe, that same rascally buccaneer which attacked the old ship on her voyage out, when you were on board. The fellow escaped us, but we shall keep a sharp look-out for him and take him one of these days. I suppose that we shall remain on this northern coast for some time, and then go back to Port Royal, with lots of prizes, I have no doubt, and perhaps the pirate among them.”
Ellen and Norman had to part, but they expected ere long to meet again at Kingston, to which place Mr Ferris intended returning as soon as the country was considered safe for travelling.
As the evening was approaching, Lieutenant Foley had to hurry his men to the boats, after a friendly parting with Archie Sandys. He had another reason for making haste, for he did not altogether like the look of the sky.
“What do you think of the weather, Mr Dobbs?” he asked.
“Coming on nasty, to my mind,” answered the boatswain, casting his eye round the horizon. “Whether it is one of them hurricanes which blow in those seas, or only a common gale, I can’t just say; but the sooner we are aboard, and the ship can get a good offing, the better.”
Crowhurst, who had been some time before in the West Indies, was of the boatswain’s opinion, and thought that they had already delayed too long; but, then, he was not, like the lieutenant, in love, and had found nothing of especial interest on shore.
The commander was highly pleased at hearing of the service his officers and men had performed, and did not blame the lieutenant for remaining on shore so long. Indeed, he observed, “Had no other force appeared to protect the house, I should have considered it right to send you, with the marines and a few seamen, back to guard it, in case the rebels should return.”
Norman heartily wished that Jack Pemberton with his friends, and Major Malcolm with his troops, had marched after the rebels, instead of coming to Bellevue.