e only conclusion he
arrived at was that Gaffin and the mate of the vessel in which he had
been wrecked might possibly be one and the same person, and if so, from
Jack's account, he was undoubtedly a villain, capable of any crime.

Having seen May enter Halliburt's cottage, he rode to the Texford Arms
and put up his horse, resolving to wait in the neighbourhood till she
should again come out. He would then have time to get back and mount
his horse--which he told the hostler to keep saddled--and follow her.

He in the meantime took a few turns on the pier, and got into
conversation with two or three of the old seafaring men who were
standing about; the younger were at sea in their boats, or had gone home
after the night's fishing. He made enquiries about the man he had just
met. They all repeated the same story; their opinion was that he had
been a pirate or something of that sort on the Spanish main, or in other
distant seas, and having for a wonder escaped, he had returned home to
follow a more peaceful and less dangerous calling, though still in
reality unreformed and quite ready to break the laws of his country.
From the description they gave of his wife, Headland thought that she
must have been an Oriental, and this strengthened his idea that he was
the man of whom Jack had spoken. Had he enquired about the Halliburts
he might have learned the particulars of May's early history, but he
still remained under the impression that she was a ward of the Miss
Pembertons, and had merely come down to visit the dame as she would any
other of the villagers suffering from sickness or sorrow.

Notwithstanding Gaffin's assertion that he knew nothing about Jacob
being carried off, the men were certain that though he might not have
been present, it had been done at his instigation, as his crew were
known to be ready to engage in any daring undertaking he might suggest.
They, however, feared that there was very little prospect of the lugger
being captured.

"That mate of his would sooner run her under water or blow her up than
let a king's officer come on board, and it will be better for poor Jacob
if the cutter does not come up with her," observed one of them.

Headland borrowed a glass and swept the horizon several times, but no
craft like the cutter appeared. At length he went back to the spot
whence he could watch Adam's door for May's appearance. She came out at
last, and he hurried to the inn to get his horse. He so