ugger trying to escape, and
gradually growing more distant, while the cutter kept on slowly, sending
a shot in her wake, evidently in the hope of bringing down one of her
masts.

"What boat's that, Mr Gurr?" said Archy at last, drawing the master's
attention to one in full sail in the opposite direction to that in which
they were going.

"Dunno, my lad. Never mind her. Lobster, I should say."

"Looks fast and smart for a lobster-boat," thought Archy, as he kept
glancing at the craft, whose aspect seemed to have a strange attraction
for him alone. In fact, every eye was fixed upon the two vessels in the
offing, while it seemed to Archy that the boat, which was sailing
rapidly, had changed her course on seeing them, and was trying to get
close up under the cliffs, apparently to reach the cove from which they
had come.

There was nothing suspicious in a sailing-boat making for the cove, but,
as the middy looked at it, the boat heeled over in a puff of wind, and
he fancied that he caught sight of a familiar figure behind the sail.

It was only a momentary glance, and directly after he told himself it
was nonsense, for the figure which had started up in the night, away on
the cliff was Ram Shackle, and he could not be in two places at once.

"We shall never do it, my lads," said the master suddenly. "Easy--easy.
It's of no use to break your backs, and your hearts too. She's sailing
two knots to our one. Easy in that boat," he shouted. "We can't do
it."

A low murmur arose from both crews.

"Silence there!" shouted Gurr. Then, more gently, "I don't want to give
it up, but you can see for yourself, bo's'n, we can't do it."

"No," came back abruptly.

"It would only be hindering her too. No, Mr Raystoke, it's only our
old bad luck, and common sense says it's of no use to fight again it."

"Mr Gurr," said Archy excitedly, speaking with his eyes fixed on the
sailing-boat.

"Yes, my lad, what is it?"

"Do you think it possible that yonder boat has had anything to do with
the lugger?"

"Eh? What?" cried the master sharply. "Haven't got a glass. I dunno.
They're such a set of foxes about here that she might."

He shaded his eyes with his hand, and took a long look at her, and once
more a puff of wind caught her sail and heeled her over, so that he
could get a good look over her side.

She was about a mile away, and well in toward the shore, keeping far
enough from the cliffs to catch the land breeze,