said, "I never knew how to kiss a baby, though I have had
such a lot of them."

"Good-by, Charley dear. All your things are right; and here is the key
of the locker. You are fitted out for three days; but you must on no
account make that time of it. To-morrow I shall be very busy, but you
must be home by the evening. Perhaps there will be a favorite thing of
yours for supper. You are going a long way; but don't be long."

"Good-by, Tilly darling--good-by, Jerry dear--good-by, Tommy boy, and
all my countless family. I am coming home to-morrow with a mint of
money."

CHAPTER XXIX

TACTICS OF DEFENSE

The sea at this time was not pleasant, and nobody looking at it longed
to employ upon it any members of a shorter reach than eyes.

It was not rushing upon the land, nor running largely in the offing, nor
making white streaks on the shoals; neither in any other places doing
things remarkable. No sign whatever of coming storm or gathering fury
moved it; only it was sullen, heavy, petulant, and out of sorts. It went
about its business in a state of lumps irregular, without long billows
or big furrows, as if it took the impulse more of distant waters than of
wind; and its color was a dirty green. Ancient fishermen hate this, and
ancient mariners do the same; for then the fish lie sulking on their
bellies, and then the ship wallows without gift of sail.

"Bear off, Tomkins, and lay by till the ebb. I can only say, dash the
whole of it!"

Commander Nettlebones, of the Swordfish, gave this order in disgust at
last; for the tide was against her, with a heavy pitch of sea, and the
mainsail scarcely drew the sheet. What little wind there was came off
the land, and would have been fair if it had been firm; but often it
dropped altogether where the cliffs, or the clouds that lay upon them,
held it. The cutter had slipped away from Scarborough, as soon as it was
dark last night, under orders for Robin Hood's Bay, where the Albatross
and Kestrel were to meet her, bring tidings, and take orders. Partly
by coast-riding, and partly by coast signals, it had been arranged that
these three revenue cruisers should come together in a lonely place
during the haze of November morning, and hold privy council of
importance. From Scarborough, with any wind at all, or even with
ordinary tide-run, a coal barge might almost make sure of getting to
Robin Hood's Bay in six hours, if the sea was fit to swim in. Yet
here was a cutter that va