e going there instead of
to France, for the Captain thinks we shall be at loggerheads with the
Mounseers soon."

Saying this, and having wrung Stephen's hand, Roger sprang up the side
of his ship, when the little _Duck_, shoving off, made sail to the
eastward, while the _Ruby_ stood on her course down Channel.

CHAPTER TEN.

The gale had been blowing for some days on the Dorsetshire coast. The
seafaring men along the shore pronounced it the hardest they had known
at that season for many a year, harder than one which had blown a few
days previously for a short time. A vessel, from stress of weather, had
put into Lyme, and reported that she had passed two small craft,
tempest-tossed and sorely battered, but they refused assistance, saying
that they intended to keep the sea, as they were bound to the eastward.
This information being given to the authorities at Lyme, notice was
issued to the men stationed along the coast, placed there to prevent the
escape of rebels, and they were directed to watch for the two vessels,
which it was conjectured had on board fugitives from Sedgemoor, or
others who had taken part with Monmouth.

Colonel Tregellen had been deeply stirred with indignation at the
cruelties practised by the Earl of Feversham and Colonel Kirk on the
hapless Monmouth's defeated army, and he felt far more interest in them
than would otherwise have been the case.

"Had they been criminals of the darkest dye, they could not have been
more severely dealt with. Instead of that, they were honest men,
fighting bravely for what they believed a righteous cause," he observed,
as he read the accounts of what had taken place.

It is scarcely necessary to say how Alice Tufnell felt. Though she had
warned and entreated Stephen Battiscombe not to take up arms, she knew
that he was prompted by the highest and purest of motives. Her heart
sank as she thought of the uncertainty that hung over his fate. No news
had been received of him and his brother since the day of the battle,
and their friends could not conjecture whether they had fallen at
Sedgemoor, been killed in the pursuit, or were still in hiding.

The first intimation that his sons were still alive was received from
Farmer Stubbs, who had brought Stephen's letter, saying that he and
Andrew were in the hands of Cornet Bryce, and that they were to be
carried to Bridgewater or Taunton. Mr Battiscombe immediately sent off
to Colonel Tregellen to ask his advic