s purpose?

He looked around. The night was falling suddenly; the wind was mounting;
from beyond the bar came the hoarse murmur of an angry sea. If the
schooner was to sail that night, she had best get out into deep waters.
Where was the chaplain? Pray Heaven the delay had been sufficient, and
they had sailed without him. Yet they would be sure to meet. He advanced
a few steps nearer, and looked about him. Was it possible that, in his
madness, the chaplain had been about to commit some violence which had
drawn the trusty Gimblett from his post? "Gr-r-r-r! Ouph!" The trusty
Gimblett was lying at his feet--dead drunk!

"Hi! Hiho! Hillo there!" roared somebody from the jetty below. "Be that
you, Muster Noarth? We ain't too much tiam, sur!"

From the uncurtained windows of the chaplain's house on the hill beamed
the newly-lighted candle. They in the boat did not see it, but it
brought to the prisoner a wild hope that made his heart bound. He ran
back to the cell, clapped on North's wide-awake, and flinging the cloak
hastily about him, came quickly down the steps. If the moon should shine
out now!

"Jump in, sir," said unsuspecting Mannix, thinking only of the flogging
he had been threatened with. "It'll be a dirty night, this night! Put
this over your knees, sir. Shove her off! Give way!" And they were
afloat. But one glimpse of moonlight fell upon the slouched hat and
cloaked figure, and the boat's crew, engaged in the dangerous task of
navigating the reef in the teeth of the rising gale, paid no attention
to the chaplain.

"By George, lads, we're but just in time!" cried Mannix; and they laid
alongside the schooner, black in blackness. "Up ye go, yer honour,
quick!" The wind had shifted, and was now off the shore. Blunt, who had
begun to repent of his obstinacy, but would not confess it, thought the
next best thing to riding out the gale was to get out to open sea. "Damn
the parson," he had said, in all heartiness; "we can't wait all night
for him. Heave ahead, Mr. Johnson!" And so the anchor was atrip as Rufus
Dawes ran up the side.

The Commandant, already pulling off in his own boat, roared a coarse
farewell. "Good-bye, North! It was touch and go with ye!" adding, "Curse
the fellow, he's too proud to answer!"

The chaplain indeed spoke to no one, and plunging down the hatchway,
made for the stern cabins. "Close shave, your reverence!" said a
respectful somebody, opening a door. It was; but the clergyman did not