, the movements of the man and
boy, thus proving themselves gifted with a truly Baconian spirit of
general inquiry into simple facts, with a view to future inductions.

"Jump in, Billy," said Jones, "and don't wet your feet; I can easily
shove her off alone."

Billy obeyed.

"Hallo! wot have 'ee got here?" he cried, touching a large tarpaulin bag
with his foot.

"Only some grub," answered Jones, putting his shoulder to the bow of the
boat.

"And a compass too!" cried Billy, looking round in surprise.

"Ay, it may come on thick, you know," said Jones, as the boat's keel
grated over the sand.

"I say, stop!" cried Billy; "you're up to some mischief; come, let me
ashore."

Mr Jones made no reply, but continued to push off the boat. Seeing
this, the boy leaped overboard, but Jones caught him. For one instant
there was a struggle; then poor Billy was lifted in the strong man's
arms, and hurled back into the boat. Next moment it was afloat, and
Jones leaped inboard. Billy was not to be overcome so easily, however.
He sprang up, and again made a leap over the gunwale, but Jones caught
him by the collar, and, after a severe struggle, dragged him into the
boat, and gave him a blow on the head with his clenched fist, which
stunned him. Then, seizing the oars, he pulled off. After getting well
away from the beach he hoisted a small lug-sail, and stood out to sea.

All this was witnessed by the scientific men in the cave through a
couple of small pocket-telescopes, which brought the expression of
Jones's and Billy's countenances clearly into view. At first Mr
Queeker, with poetic fervour, started up, intent on rushing to the
rescue of the oppressed; but Mr Larks, with prosaic hardness of heart,
held him forcibly back, and told him to make his mind easy, adding that
Mr Jones had no intention of doing the boy any further harm. Whereupon
Queeker submitted with a sigh. The two friends then issued from the
cave, shook hands, and bade each other goodbye with a laugh--the man
with the keen grey eyes following the path that led to Broadstairs,
while the lawyer's clerk returned to Ramsgate by the beach.

Meanwhile the sun went down, and the lanterns of the _Goodwin_, the
_Gull_, and the _South sandhead_ floating lights went up. The shades of
evening fell, and the stars came out--one by one at first; then by twos
and threes; at last by bursts of constellations, until the whole heavens
glowed with a galaxy of distant wo