d Barbara been what is now termed a
clever girl, the Buccaneer might have employed her, not as an agent of
falsehood--_that_ his delicate love of his child would have
prevented--but as an instrument, perhaps, to work some delay in a
wedding that humanity, independent of one or two new and latent causes,
called upon him to prevent; but in any plot where finesse was necessary,
he saw that Barbara would be perfectly useless; and before taking his
departure, he only told her she might, if she pleased, inform Mistress
Cecil, but at the same time begged of her not to repeat to any one else
that he had been there. This Barbara promised to do; and on the
assurance that he would soon return, and enable her to show her lady
that, instead of being the wild man they both took him for, he was a
very peaceable (how the Buccaneer smiled at the word!) person, she
suffered him to depart, and then went into her little room, to arrange
her ideas, and mingle thanksgivings that she had found a father, with
prayers for his safety.

CHAPTER VI.

But now, no star can shine, no hope be got,
Most wretched creature, if he knew his lot,
And yet more wretched far because he knows it not.
* * * * * * *
The swelling sea seethes in his angry waves,
And smites the earth that dares the traitors nourish.

GILES FLETCHER.

The Buccaneer failed not to inquire relative to the pretended dumb boy,
but without success: he appeared to have vanished suddenly from before
their eyes, and had left no trace behind. After despatching one or two
trusty messengers on some particular embassies, Dalton concealed himself
in the secret recesses of the crag until the evening fell sufficiently
to enable him to get off to the Fire-fly without attracting the
observation of any stragglers, or persons who might be on the watch for
him or his vessel, which he had left, as before, under the
superintendence of Jeromio, with strict orders to move about off
Shelness Point, and the strand at Leysdown, and to be ready, on a
particular signal, to heave-to and cast anchor nearly opposite the
Gull's Nest. Three times had Dalton lighted his beacon on the top of the
ruined tower, and three times extinguished it: the signal was at length
answered, although not according to his directions, which were light for
light. The Buccaneer was, however, satisfied; descended by the private
stair to the shore, and pushed off his little