about a fourth of that time; "I would have seen it.
Somebody ought to have seen it."

Still the lights from the cutter burned out brightly, like a couple of
stars, and at last, in a hopeless mood, he began to think that the
signal he was displaying was too feeble to be seen so far.

"I may as well give it up," he muttered despairingly; "the rascals will
be up directly now, and I shall be caught, and the _Kestrels_ could
never get ashore in time.--Yes--no--yes--no--yes," he panted.

For, as he stared out at the cutter's lights, all at once they
disappeared.

He gazed till his eyes seemed starting, but there was no doubt about it;
they had been put out or covered; and turning sharply round, he hid the
lantern he carried, and turned over the other with his foot prior to
stooping and blowing it out.

The signal had been seen.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

HILARY GETS IN A QUEER FIX.

With his heart throbbing with joy Hilary now proceeded to reverse his
performance, for, taking off his jacket once more, he enveloped the
burning lantern, picked up the other that was emitting an abominable
odour, and hastily carried them back to the hollow where he found them.

It was so dark that he was doubtful whether he had found the right
place, but he kicked against another lantern, and that convinced him.

Placing the burning one on the ground, he relit the other, his hands
trembling so that he hardly knew what he did, and impeded himself to no
slight degree. He succeeded, however, and had just set the second
lantern down as nearly as he could remember, when he fancied he heard a
sound as of some one snoring, and glancing in the direction, he saw to
his horror that a man was lying there asleep.

For a few moments he felt paralysed, and stood there holding his jacket
in his hand unable to move, as he asked himself whether that man had
been there when he spoke and took the lights.

As he stood there wondering, he heard a voice call "Jem!" in a low tone;
and this roused Hilary, who dropped down and crept away, glancing to
seaward as he did so, where the cutter's lights--if it was she--once
more brightly burned.

He did not dare to go far, but lay flat upon the turf, listening as
someone came up; and then there was a dull noise as of a man kicking
another.

"Get up, Jem! Do you hear! Why, what a fellow you are to sleep!"

"Hullo! Oh, all right," said another voice; and now Hilary could see
two men standing, their figures