e. Farmer Stubbs was very
unwilling to put himself into the power of Colonel Kirk and his lambs,
and declined going with the sum of money necessary to bribe those in
authority. Mr Battiscombe had the money ready, which he hoped would be
sufficient. He first thought of Mr Handscombe, but on applying to Mr
Willoughby, who had last heard from him, he found that he had left
London, no one knew whither. Colonel Tregellen himself would have been
a fit person in some respects, for his loyalty would never have been
doubted, but his health prevented him from going far from home. He was
not suited by his temper and disposition to deal with characters such as
Colonel Kirk and those associated with him. Poor Mr Battiscombe, in
despair, applied to Mr Willoughby. He had taken no part in the
rebellion, and his son, with his sanction, had entered the Royal Navy,
and was serving under Captain Benbow. Feeling deeply for his friend,
though the undertaking was very contrary to his habits, he agreed to set
out without loss of time, and endeavour to carry on the negotiation. He
had very little to plead for Stephen and Andrew, except that they were
young men carried away with the flattery bestowed on them by the Duke,
but their father would undertake for their good behaviour in future, and
would send them out of the country. Farmer Stubbs, saying that he had a
relative not far off, with whom he intended to stay till the storm had
blown over, disappeared the next evening, and Mr Willoughby set out on
his mission of mercy, which, as the reader knows, was to prove a
bootless one.

The storm had been blowing for some days, when Colonel Tregellen,
accompanied by Alice on her pony, started on a ride to the village,
where he had some tenants to visit, intending to return along the
cliffs, where he hoped that the fresh wind off the sea would raise
Alice's depressed spirits. On reaching the Downs the wind was so strong
that they could with difficulty make headway against it, still the
little pony seemed to enjoy the breeze even more than its mistress.
When the Colonel pressed forward, his horse cantered gaily along. Alice
at length, just as they reached the higher part, where an extensive view
could be obtained over the ocean, begged to stop to regain her breath.
The Colonel was looking westward, when he observed two sails in the
distance.

"Look out there, Alice," he said, "your eyes are sharper than mine.
Tell me what those are."

"T