out upon that sea as if I was some common thief broken loose from jail.
However, it pleased heaven that I should manage to keep out of sight of
those whom I most strenuously desired not to see; and the afternoon of
the fourth day found the _Boca_ lying off Beachy Head, and I peering
over the rail, with a haggard face, at the dark shadow of the land.

It had been blowing and snowing all day. The seas ran short and
spitefully. It was a dismal December afternoon, and the more sensibly
disgusting to us who were fresh from several weeks of the balm and glory
of the tropics. And yet I would not have exchanged it for a clear fine
day for all that I was like to be worth.

It was the most reasonable thing in the world that a vessel should be
hove-to in such sombre weather, and so I was under no concern that our
posture in this respect would excite suspicion, should we be descried.
The hours stole away one by one. Now and again a little coaster would
pass, some hoy bound west, a sloop for the Thames, a lugger on some
unguessable mission: all small ships, oozing dark and damp out of the
snow and mist and passing silently. I kept the land close aboard to be
out of the way of the bigger craft, and held the vessel in the wind
till it was necessary to reach to our station. The three of us were
mighty pensive and eager, staring incessantly with all our eyes; but it
looked as if we were not to expect anything that day when the night put
its darkness into the weather. Then, as I foresaw a serious danger if
the wind shifted into the south, and as I could not obtain a glimpse of
a shore-light, I resolved to bring up and ride till dawn. Long ago we
had got the schooner's old anchors at the catheads and the cables bent,
so, lowering the mainsail and hauling down the stay foresail, we let
fall the starboard anchor, and the ship came to a stand. I put the lead
over the side that we might know if she dragged, hung a lantern on the
forestay and one on either quarter that our presence might be marked by
my relative should he be out in quest of us, and went below, leaving
Cromwell to keep the look-out.

I was extremely fretful and anxious and had no patience to talk with
Billy Pitt. There were too many risks, too many vague chances in this
exploit to render contemplation of it tolerable. Suppose my relative
should be dead? Suppose Wilkinson should be robbed of his money? fall to
the cutting of capers, as a sailor newly delivered to the pleasure