Chapter L

In which the officers, non-commissioned officers, and rank and file, are all sent to the right about.

About noon the Yungfrau hove-to off the cave, and the troops were told off into the boats.

About half-past twelve the troops were in the boats all ready.

About one Mr Vanslyperken had hoisted out his own boats, and they were manned.  Mr Vanslyperken, with his pistols in his belt, and his sword drawn, told Major Lincoln that he was all ready.  Major Lincoln, with his spy-glass in his hand, stepped into the boat with Mr Vanslyperken, and the whole detachment pulled for the shore, and landed in the small cove, where they found the smugglers’ boats hoisted up on the rocks, at which the men appeared to be rejoiced, as they took it for granted that they would find some men to fight with instead of women.  The major headed his men, and they commenced a scramble up the rocks and arrived at the foot of the high rock which formed the platform above at the mouth of the cave, when the major cried “Halt!”—­a very judicious order, considering that it was impossible to go any further.  The soldiers looked about everywhere, but could find no cave, and after an hour’s strict search, Major Lincoln and his officers, glad to be rid of the affair, held a consultation, and it was agreed that the troops should be re-embarked.  The men were marched down again very hot from their exertions, and thus the expedition would have ended without bloodshed, had it not been for the incautious behaviour of a woman.  That woman was Moggy Salisbury, who, having observed that the troops were re-embarking, took the opportunity, while Sir Robert and all the men were keeping close, to hoist up a certain under-garment to a pole, as if in derision, thus betraying the locality of the cave, and running the risk of sacrificing the whole party in it.  This, as it was going up, caught the eye of one of the seamen in the boat, who cried out, “There goes the ensign up to the peak at last.”

“Where?” exclaimed the major, pulling out his telescope, “Yes, by heavens! there it is—­and there then must be the cave.”

Neither Sir Robert nor any of the conspirators were aware of this manoeuvre of Moggy’s; for Smallbones, perceiving what she had done, hauled it down again in a minute afterwards.  But it had been hoisted, and the major considered it his duty to return, so once more the troop ascended the precipitous path.

Moggy then went into the cave.  “They have found us out, sir,” said she, “they point to us, and are coming up again.  I will stand as sentry.  The men won’t fire at me, and if they do I don’t care.”

Sir Robert and Ramsay were in close consultation.  It appeared to them that by a bold manoeuvre they would be able to get out of their scrape.  The wind had gone down altogether, the sea was as smooth as glass, and there was every appearance of a continued calm.