There was a slight lull in the gale at this time, and the clouds broke a little, allowing occasional glimpses of moonlight to break through and tinge the foaming crests of the waves.  At last the light, that had at first looked like a bright star, soon increased, and appeared like a glorious sun in the stormy sky.  For a few seconds it shone intensely white and strong, then it slowly died away and disappeared; but almost before one could have time to wonder what had become of it, it returned in the form of a brilliant red sun, which also shone for a few seconds, steadily, and then, like the former, slowly died out.  Thus, alternating, the red and white suns went round.

In a few minutes the tall and graceful column itself became visible, looking pale and spectral against the black sky.  At the same time the roar of the surf broke familiarly on Ruby’s ears.  He steered close past the north end of the rock, so close that he could see the rocks, and knew that it was low water.  A gleam of moonlight broke out at the time, as if to encourage him.

“Now,” said Ruby, “you had better go about, for if we carry on at this rate, in the course we are going, in about an hour you will either be a dead man on the rocks of Forfar, or enjoying yourself in a Scotch prison!”

“Ha! ha!” laughed the Frenchman, who immediately gave the order to put the vessel about; “good, ver good; bot I was not wish to see the Scottish prison, though I am told the mountains be ver superb.”

While he was speaking, the little vessel lay over on her new course, and Ruby steered again past the north side of the rock.  He shaved it so close that the Frenchman shouted, “Prenez garde”, and put a pistol to Ruby’s ear.

“Do you think I wish to die?” asked Ruby, with a quiet smile.  “Now, captain, I want to point out the course, so as to make you sure of it.  Bid one of your men take the wheel, and step up on the bulwarks with me, and I will show you.”

This was such a natural remark in the circumstances, and moreover so naturally expressed, that the Frenchman at once agreed.  He ordered a seaman to take the wheel, and then stepped with Ruby upon the bulwarks at the stern of the vessel.

“Now, you see the position of the lighthouse,” said Ruby, “well, you must keep your course due east after passing it.  If you steer to the nor-ard o’ that, you’ll run on the Scotch coast; if you bear away to the south’ard of it, you’ll run a chance, in this state o’ the tide, of getting wrecked among the Farne Islands; so keep her head due east.”

Ruby said this very impressively; so much so, that the Frenchman looked at him in surprise.

“Why you so particulare?” he enquired, with a look of suspicion.

“Because I am going to leave you,” said Ruby, pointing to the Bell Rock, which at that moment was not much more than a hundred yards to leeward.  Indeed, it was scarcely so much, for the outlying rock at the northern end named Johnny Gray, lay close under their lee as the vessel passed.  Just then a great wave burst upon it, and, roaring in wild foam over the ledges, poured into the channels and pools on the other side.  For one instant Ruby’s courage wavered, as he gazed at the flood of boiling foam.