e-gray leaden
sheen. The men appeared coming along the harbour, and descended by a
stair into a little skiff, where a barrel, or something like one, lay
under a tarpaulin. Robert bade Shargar good-bye, and followed. They
pushed off, rowed out into the bay, and lay on their oars waiting
for the vessel. The light grew apace, and Robert fancied he could
distinguish the two horses with one rider against the sky on the top of
the cliffs, moving northwards. Turning his eyes to the sea, he saw the
canvas of the brig, and his heart beat fast. The men bent to their oars.
She drew nearer, and lay to. When they reached her he caught the
rope the sailors threw, was on board in a moment, and went aft to the
captain. The Dutchman stared. In a few words Robert made him understand
his object, offering to pay for his passage, but the good man would not
hear of it. He told him that the lady and gentleman had come on board as
brother and sister: the baron was too knowing to run his head into the
noose of Scotch law.

'I cannot throw him over the board,' said the skipper; 'and what am I to
do? I am afraid it is of no use. Ah! poor thing!'

By this time the vessel was under way. The wind freshened. Mysie had
been ill ever since they left the month of the river: now she was much
worse. Before another hour passed, she was crying to be taken home to
her papa. Still the wind increased, and the vessel laboured much.

Robert never felt better, and if it had not been for the cause of his
sea-faring, would have thoroughly enjoyed it. He put on some sea-going
clothes of the captain's, and set himself to take his share in working
the brig, in which he was soon proficient enough to be useful. When the
sun rose, they were in a tossing wilderness of waves. With the sunrise,
Robert began to think he had been guilty of a great folly. For what
could he do? How was he to prevent the girl from going off with her
lover the moment they landed? But his poor attempt would verify his
willingness.

The baron came on deck now and then, looking bored. He had not
calculated on having to nurse the girl. Had Mysie been well, he could
have amused himself with her, for he found her ignorance interesting.
As it was, he felt injured, and indeed disgusted at the result of the
experiment.

On the third day the wind abated a little; but towards night it blew
hard again, and it was not until they reached the smooth waters of the
Scheldt that Mysie made her appearance on