night!

"Well, it does agree with me, that's a fact," said Long Orrick, with a
savage laugh; in the tone of which there was mingled however, quite as
much bitterness as merriment.

Just at this moment the rest of Coleman's friends, including Tommy Bogey
and Peekins, appeared on the scene in breathless haste, having been
attracted by the pistol-shot.

In the eager question and answer that followed, Long Orrick was for a
moment not sufficiently guarded. He wrenched himself suddenly from the
loosened grasp of Bax, and, darting between several of the party, one of
whom he floored in passing with a left-handed blow, he ran along the
shore at the top of his speed!

Bax, blazing with disappointment and indignation, set off in fierce
pursuit, and old Coleman, bursting with anger, followed as fast as his
short legs and shorter wind would permit him. Guy Foster and several of
the others joined in the chase, while those who remained behind
contented themselves with securing the men who had been already
captured.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE STORM--THE WRECK OF THE HOMEWARD BOUND--THE LIFEBOAT.

A stern chase never was and never will be a short one. Old Coleman, in
the course of quarter of a mile's run, felt that his powers were limited
and wisely stopped short; Bax, Guy, and Tommy Bogey held on at full
speed for upwards of two miles along the beach, following the road which
wound along the base of the chalk cliffs, and keeping the fugitive well
in view.

But Long Orrick was, as we have seen, a good runner. He kept his ground
until he reached a small hamlet named Kingsdown, lying about two and a
half miles to the north of Saint Margaret's Bay. Here he turned
suddenly to the left, quitted the beach, and made for the interior,
where he was soon lost sight of, and left his disappointed pursuers to
grumble at their bad fortune and wipe their heated brows.

The strength of the gale had now increased to such an extent that it
became a matter not only of difficulty but of danger to pass along the
shore beneath the cliffs. The spray was hurled against them with great
violence, and as the tide rose the larger waves washed up with a
magnificent and overwhelming sweep almost to their base. In these
circumstances Guy proposed to go back to Saint Margaret's Bay by the
inland road.

"It's a bit longer," said he, as they stood under the lee of a wall,
panting from the effects of their run, "but we shall be sheltered from
the g