passing along the downs above. It was on a part of the
Dorsetshire coast between Lyme and Bridport, almost in the centre of the
extensive bay which has Portland Bill on its eastern side and the Start
Point on the west. To the right could be seen Lowesdon Hill and
Pillesdon Pen rising above the surrounding country, while to the left a
line of precipitous cliffs extended in a bold sweep for several miles to
the conical height of the Gilten Cap, visible to the mariner far away
out at sea, while inland, beyond a range of smooth undulating downs,
were fields of grass and corn, orchards and woods, amid which appeared
here and there a church steeple, the roof of a farm-house or labourer's
cottage, or the tower or gable-end of some more pretentious residence.

Still, Roger accompanied Stephen Battiscombe with evident reluctance,
and turned more than once to take another look at the approaching ship
which had so attracted his attention.

"She must be purposing to come to an anchor close to the shore, and we
may be able to go on board her," he exclaimed.

"Very possibly her captain intends to bring up to wait till the tide
turns," said Stephen in a tone of indifference. "If you have a fancy
for visiting her, the sooner we get back to Eversden the more time you
will have to accomplish your object, should your father not object to
your going; but as we do not know the character of the vessel, he may
doubt whether the trip is a safe one--she may be a pirate, or a trader
in want of hands, and may kidnap you and your boatmen to fill up the
complement of her crew."

Roger laughed heartily as Stephen ceased speaking. "We need not fear
any danger of that sort," he said. "My father is not so over-careful of
me as you suppose. Neither he nor the Colonel will say me nay, and if
you are unwilling to accompany me, I will go alone."

"No! no!--if you go I will go with you," answered Stephen. "I merely
wished to warn you, that you might not be disappointed."

"I know well that I can always trust you, and that you are ever ready to
please me when you can," said Roger. "But, as you say, it were a pity
to lose time--so we will hasten on to the manor-house, and as soon as we
have satisfied our hunger, we will return to the shore and get Ben
Rullock and his boy Toby to put us aboard the stranger. See, she is
still standing in for the land, and she would certainly not come so
close except for the purpose of anchoring."

The boys had