this time be far inland,
out of danger and in the way of finding succour. He was confident that
they would return, but he trusted not too soon, for he hoped for a run
for his money as Horatius in the Gate. After that he was a little torn
in his mind. He wanted the Princess to come back and to be somewhere
near if there was a fight going, so that she might be a witness of his
devotion. But she must not herself run any risk, and he became anxious
when he remembered her terrible sangfroid. Dickson could no more
restrain her than a child could hold a greyhound.... But of course it
would never come to that. The police would turn up long before the
brig appeared--Dougal had thought that would not be till high tide,
between four and five--and the only danger would be to the pirates. The
three watchers would be put in the bag, and the men from the sea would
walk into a neat trap. This reflection seemed to take all the colour
out of Heritage's prospect. Peril and heroism were not to be his
lot--only boredom.

A little after twelve two of the tinklers appeared with some news which
made Dobson laugh and pat them on the shoulder. He seemed to be giving
them directions, pointing seaward and southward. He nodded to the
Tower, where Heritage took the opportunity of again fluttering Saskia's
scarf athwart the window. The tinklers departed at a trot, and Dobson
lit his pipe as if well pleased. He had some trouble with it in the
wind, which had risen to an uncanny violence. Even the solid Tower
rocked with it, and the sea was a waste of spindrift and low scurrying
cloud. Heritage discovered a new anxiety--this time about the
possibility of the brig landing at all. He wanted a complete bag, and
it would be tragic if they got only the three seedy ruffians now
circumambulating his fortress.

About one o'clock he was greatly cheered by the sight of Dougal. At the
moment Dobson was lunching off a hunk of bread and cheese directly
between the Tower and the House, just short of the crest of the ridge
on the other side of which lay the stables and the shrubberies; Leon
was on the north side opposite the Tower door, and Spidel was at the
south end near the edge of the Garple glen. Heritage, watching the
ridge behind Dobson and the upper windows of the House which appeared
over it, saw on the very crest something like a tuft of rusty bracken
which he had not noticed before. Presently the tuft moved, and a hand
shot up from it wav