their pieces the moment that a head
presented itself. In the meantime, the cutter darted on before a strong
favourable breeze, and thus passed the first day. Many attempts were
made during the night by the seamen of the cutter to force their way on
deck, but they were all prevented by the vigilance of Ramsay; and the
next morning the Isle of Wight was in sight. Wilhelmina had passed the
night on the forecastle, covered up with a sail; none of his people had
had anything to eat during the time that they were on board, and Ramsay
was most anxious to arrive at his destination.

About noon, the cutter was abreast of the Black Gang Chine: Ramsay had
calculated upon retaining possession of the cutter, and taking the whole
of the occupants of the cave over to Cherbourg, but this was now
impossible. He had five of his men wounded, and he could not row the
boat to the cave without leaving so few men on board, that they would be
overpowered, for his ammunition was expended, with the exception of one
or two charges, which were retained for an emergency. All that he could
do now, was, therefore, to put his treasure in the boat, and with
Wilhelmina and his whole party make for the cave, when he could send
notice to Portsmouth for the others to join them, and they must be
content to await the meditated attack upon the cave, and defend it till
they could make their escape to France. The wind being foul for the
cutter's return to Portsmouth, would enable him to give notice at
Portsmouth, over land, before she could arrive.

There was a great oversight committed when the lower deck was abandoned,
the despatches had been left on Mr Vanslyperken's bed. Had they been
taken away or destroyed, there would have been ample time for the whole
of his party to have made their escape from England, before duplicates
could arrive. As it was, he could do no more than what we have already
mentioned.

The boat was hauled up, the boxes of specie put in, the wounded men laid
at the bottom of the boat, and having, at the suggestion of one of the
men, cut the lower riggings, halyards, &c., of the cutter to retard its
progress to Portsmouth, Ramsay and his associates stepped into the boat,
and pulled for the cave.

Their departure was soon ascertained by the crew of the _Yungfrau_ who
now forced the skylight, and gained the deck, but not before the boat
had entered the cave.

"What's to be done now?" said Coble. "Smash my timbers, but they've
played