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diff --git a/23188.txt b/23188.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a5a6504 --- /dev/null +++ b/23188.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3902 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Michael Penguyne, by William H. G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Michael Penguyne + Fisher Life on the Cornish Coast + +Author: William H. G. Kingston + +Release Date: October 25, 2007 [EBook #23188] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MICHAEL PENGUYNE *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Michael Penguyne; Fisher Life on the Cornish Coast, by William H G +Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +In this rather short book Kingston tells us of the hard life and its few +pleasures of the fisher-folk of Cornwall. Gales and a forbidding +coast-line can often spell disaster to the poor fisherman caught out in +a rising tempest. Yet throughout this he and his family, with few +exceptions, remain steadfast and God-fearing, with relatives springing +to the aid of orphans and wives following a tragedy. + +Kingston is here at his most persuasively Christian, arguing that both +the good things of life and the bad, are dealt out to us by an +all-seeing fatherlike God. + +It does not take long to read, but you will certainly enjoy it. As it +probably didn't take long to write it is not one of Kingston's great +masterpieces, but it is certainly worth taking note of. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +MICHAEL PENGUYNE, FISHER LIFE ON THE CORNISH COAST, BY WILLIAM H G +KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +As the sun rose over the Lizard, the southernmost point of old England, +his rays fell on the tanned sails of a fleet of boats bounding lightly +across the heaving waves before a fresh westerly breeze. The distant +shore, presenting a line of tall cliffs, towards which the boats were +steering, still lay in the deepest shade. + +Each boat was laden with a large heap of nets and several baskets filled +with brightly-shining fish. + +In the stern of one, tiller in hand, sat a strongly-built man, whose +deeply-furrowed countenance and grizzled hair showed that he had been +for many a year a toiler on the ocean. By his side was a boy of about +twelve years of age, dressed in flushing coat and sou'wester, busily +employed with a marline-spike, in splicing an eye to a rope's-end. + +The elder fisherman, now looking up at his sails, now stooping down to +get a glance beneath them at the shore, and then turning his head +towards the south-west, where heavy clouds were gathering fast, +meanwhile cast an approving look at the boy. + +"Ye are turning in that eye smartly and well, Michael," he said. +"Whatever you do, try and do it in that fashion. It has been my wish to +teach you what is right as well as I know it. Try not only to please +man, my boy, but to love and serve God, whose eye is always on you. +Don't forget the golden rule either: `Do to others as you would they +should do to you.'" + +"I have always wished to understand what you have told me, and tried to +obey you, father," said the boy. + +"You have been a good lad, Michael, and have more than repaid me for any +trouble you may have caused me. You are getting a big boy now, though, +and it's time that you should know certain matters about yourself which +no one else is so well able to tell you as I am." + +The boy looked up from his work, wondering what Paul Trefusis was going +to say. + +"You know, lad, that you are called Michael Penguyne, and that my name +is Paul Trefusis. Has it never crossed your mind that though I have +always treated you as a son--and you have ever behaved towards me as a +good and dutiful son should behave--that you were not really my own +child?" + +"To say the truth, I have never thought about it, father," answered the +boy, looking up frankly in the old man's face. "I am oftener called +Trefusis than Penguyne, so I fancied that Penguyne was another name +tacked on to Michael, and that Trefusis was just as much my name as +yours. And oh! father, I would rather be your child than the son of +anybody else." + +"There is no harm in wishing that, Michael; but it's as well that you +should know the real state of the case, and as I cannot say what may +happen to me, I do not wish to put off telling you any longer. I am not +as strong and young as I once was, and maybe God will think fit to take +me away before I have reached the threescore years and ten which He +allows some to live. We should not put off doing to another time what +can be done now, and so you see I wish to say what has been on my mind +to tell you for many a day past, though I have not liked to say it, lest +it should in any way grieve you. You promise me, Michael, you won't let +it do that? You know how much I and granny and Nelly love you, and will +go on loving you as much as ever." + +"I know you do, father, and so do granny and Nelly; I am sure they love +me," said the boy gazing earnestly into Paul's face, with wonder and a +shade of sorrow depicted on his own countenance. + +"That's true," said Paul. "But about what I was going to say to you. + +"My wife, who is gone to heaven, Nelly's mother, and I, never had +another child but her. Your father, Michael, as true-hearted a seaman +as ever stepped, had been my friend and shipmate for many a long year. +We were bred together, and had belonged to the same boat fishing off +this coast till we were grown men, when at last we took it into our +heads to wish to visit foreign climes, and so we went to sea together. +After knocking about for some years, and going to all parts of the +world, we returned home, and both fell in love, and married. Your +mother was an orphan, without kith or kin, that your father could hear +of--a good, pretty girl she was, and worthy of him. + +"We made up our minds that we would stay on shore and follow our old +calling and look after our wives and families. We had saved some money, +but it did not go as far as we thought it would, and we agreed that if +we could make just one more trip to sea, we should gain enough for what +we wanted. + +"You were about two years old, and my Nelly was just born. + +"We went to Falmouth, where ships often put in, wanting hands, and +masters are ready to pay good wages to obtain them. We hadn't been +there a day, when we engaged on board a ship bound out to the West +Indies. As she was not likely to be long absent, this just suited us. +Your father got a berth as third mate, for he was the best scholar, and +I shipped as boatswain. + +"We made the voyage out, and had just reached the chops of the Channel, +coming back, bound for Bristol, and hoping in a few days to be home +again with our wives, when thick weather came on, and a heavy gale of +wind sprang up. It blew harder and harder. Whether or not the captain +was out of his reckoning I cannot say, but I suspect he was. Before +long, our sails were blown away, and our foremast went by the board. We +did our best to keep the ship off the shore, for all know well that it +is about as dangerous a one as is to be found round England. + +"The night was dark as pitch, the gale still increasing. + +"`Paul,' said your father to me as we were standing together, `you and I +may never see another sun rise; but still one of us may escape. You +remember the promise we made each other.' + +"`Yes, Michael,' I said, `that I do, and hope to keep it.' + +"The promise was that if one should be lost and the other saved, he who +escaped should look after the wife and family of the one who was lost. + +"I had scarcely answered him when the look-out forward shouted `Breakers +ahead!' and before the ship's course could be altered, down she came, +crashing on the rocks. It was all up with the craft; the seas came +dashing over her, and many of those on deck were washed away. The +unfortunate passengers rushed up from below, and in an instant were +swept overboard. + +"The captain ordered the remaining masts to be cut away, to ease the +ship; but it did no good, and just as the last fell she broke in two, +and all on board were cast into the water, I found myself clinging with +your father to one of the masts. The head of the mast was resting on a +rock. We made our way along it; I believed that others were following; +but just as we reached the rock the mast was carried away, and he and I +found that we alone had escaped. + +"The seas rose up foaming around us, and every moment we expected to be +washed away. Though we knew many were perishing close around us we had +no means of helping them. All we could do was to cling on and try and +save our own lives. + +"`I hope we shall get back home yet, Michael,' I said, wishing to cheer +your father, for he was more down-hearted than usual. + +"`I hope so, Paul, but I don't know; God's will be done, whatever that +will is. Paul, you will meet me in heaven, I hope,' he answered, for he +was a Christian man. `If I am taken, you will look after Mary and my +boy,' he added. Again I promised him, and I knew to a certainty that he +would look after my Nelly, should he be saved and I drowned. + +"When the morning came at last scarcely a timber or plank of the wreck +was to be seen. What hope of escape had either of us? The foaming +waters raged around, and we were half perished with cold and hunger. On +looking about I found a small spar washed up on the rock, and, fastening +our handkerchiefs together, we rigged out a flag, but there was little +chance of a boat putting off in such weather and coming near enough to +see it. We now knew that we were not far off the Land's End, on one of +two rocks called The Sisters, with the village of Senum abreast of us. + +"Your father and I looked in each other's faces; we felt that there was +little hope that we should ever see our wives and infants again. Still +we spoke of the promise we had made each other--not that there was any +need of that, for we neither of us were likely to forget it. + +"The spring tides were coming on, and though we had escaped as yet, the +sea might before long break over the rock and carry us away. Even if it +did not we must die of hunger and thirst, should no craft come to our +rescue. + +"We kept our eyes fixed on the distant shore; they ached with the strain +we put on them, as we tried to make out whether any boat was being +launched to come off to us. + +"A whole day passed--another night came on. We did not expect to see +the sun rise again. Already the seas as they struck the rock sent the +foam flying over us, and again and again washed up close to where we +were sitting. + +"Notwithstanding our fears, daylight once more broke upon us, but what +with cold and hunger we were well-nigh dead. + +"Your father was a stronger man than I fancied myself, and yet he now +seemed most broken down. He could scarcely stand to wave our flag. + +"The day wore on, the wind veered a few points to the nor'ard, and the +sun burst out now and then from among the clouds, and, just as we were +giving up all hope, his light fell on the sails of a boat which had just +before put off from the shore. She breasted the waves bravely. Was +she, though, coming towards us? We could not have been seen so far off. +Still on she came, the wind allowing her to be close-hauled to steer +towards the rock. The tide meantime was rapidly rising. If she did not +reach us soon, we knew too well that the sea would come foaming over the +rock and carry us away. + +"I stood up and waved our flag. Still the boat stood on; the spray was +beating in heavy showers over her, and it was as much as she could do to +look up to her canvas. Sometimes as I watched her I feared that the +brave fellows who were coming to our rescue would share the fate which +was likely to befall us. She neared the rock. I tried to cheer up your +father. + +"`In five minutes we shall be safe on board, Michael,' I said. + +"`Much may happen in five minutes, Paul; but you will not forget my Mary +and little boy,' he answered. + +"`No fear of that,' I said; `but you will be at home to look after them +yourself.' + +"I tried to cheer as the boat came close to the rock, but my voice +failed me. + +"The sails were lowered and she pulled in. A rope was hove, and I +caught it. I was about to make it fast round your father. + +"`You go first, Paul,' he said. `If you reach the boat I will try to +follow, but there is no use for me to try now; I should be drowned +before I got half way.' + +"Still I tried to secure the rope round him, but he resisted all my +efforts. At last I saw that I must go, or we should both be lost, and I +hoped to get the boat in nearer and to return with a second rope to help +him. + +"I made the rope fast round my waist and plunged in. I had hard work to +reach the boat; I did not know how weak I was. At last I was hauled on +board, and was singing out for a rope, when the people in the boat +uttered a cry, and looking up I saw a huge sea come rolling along. Over +the rock it swept, taking off your poor father. I leapt overboard with +the rope still round my waist, in the hopes of catching him, but in a +moment he was hidden from my sight, and, more dead than alive, I was +again hauled on board. + +"The crew of the boat pulled away from the rock; they knew that all +hopes of saving my friend were gone. Sail was made, and we stood for +the shore. + +"The people at the village attended me kindly, but many days passed +before I was able to move. + +"As soon as I had got strength enough, with a sad heart I set out +homewards. How could I face your poor mother, and tell her that her +husband was gone? I would send my own dear wife, I thought, to break +the news to her. + +"As I reached my own door I heard a child's cry; it was that of my +little Nelly, and granny's voice trying to soothe her. + +"I peeped in at the window. There sat granny, with the child on her +knee, but my wife was not there. She has gone to market, I thought. +Still my heart sank within me. I gained courage to go in. + +"`Where is Nelly?' I asked, as granny, with the baby in her arms, rose +to meet me. + +"`Here is the only Nelly you have got, my poor Paul,' she said, giving +me the child. + +"I felt as if my heart would break. I could not bring myself to ask how +or when my wife had died. Granny told me, however, for she knew it must +be told, and the sooner it was over the better. She had been taken with +a fever soon after I had left home. + +"It was long before I recovered myself. + +"`I must go and tell the sad news I bring to poor Mary,' I said. + +"Granny shook her head. + +"`She is very bad, it will go well-nigh to kill her outright,' she +observed. + +"I would have got granny to go, but I wanted to tell your poor mother of +my promise to your father, and, though it made my heartache, I +determined to go myself. + +"I found her, with you by her side. + +"`Here is father,' you cried out, but your mother looked up, and seemed +to know in a moment what had happened. + +"`Where is Michael?' she asked. + +"`You know, Mary, your husband and I promised to look after each other's +children, if one was taken and the other left; and I mean to keep my +promise to look after you and your little boy.' + +"Your mother knew, by what I said, that your father was gone. + +"`God's will be done,' she murmured; `He knows what is best--I hope soon +to be with him.' + +"Before the month was out we carried your poor mother to her grave, and +I took you to live with granny and Nelly. + +"There, Michael, you know all I can tell you about yourself. I have had +hard times now and then, but I have done my duty to you; and I say +again, Michael, you have always been a good and dutiful boy, and not a +fault have I had to find with you." + +"Thank you, father, for saying that; and you will still let me call you +father, for I cannot bring myself to believe that I am not really your +son." + +"That I will, Michael; a son you have always been to me, and my son I +wish you to remain. And, Michael, as I have watched over you, so I want +you to watch over my little Nelly. Should I be called away, be a +brother and true friend to her, for I know not to what dangers she may +be exposed. Granny is old, and her years on earth may be few, and when +she is gone, Michael, Nelly will have no one to look to but you. She +has no kith nor kin, that I know of, able or willing to take care of +her. Her mother's brother and only sister went to Australia years ago, +and no news has ever come of them since, and my brothers found their +graves in the deep sea, so that Nelly will be alone in the world. That +is the only thing that troubles me, and often makes me feel sad when we +are away at night, and the wind blows strong and the sea runs high, and +I think of the many I have known who have lost their lives in stouter +boats than mine. But God is merciful; He has promised to take care of +the widow and orphan, and He will keep His word. I know that, and so I +again look up and try to drive all mistrustful thoughts of His goodness +from my mind." + +"Father, while I have life I will take care of Nelly, and pray for her, +and, if needs be, fight for her," exclaimed Michael. + +He spoke earnestly and with all sincerity, for he intended, God willing, +to keep his word. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +The fleet of fishing-boats as they approached the coast steered in +different directions, some keeping towards Kynance and Landewednach, +while Paul Trefusis shaped his course for Mullyan Cove, towards the +north, passing close round the lofty Gull Rock, which stands in solitary +grandeur far away from the shore, braving the fierce waves as they roll +in from the broad Atlantic. + +Asparagus Island and Lion Rock opened out to view, while the red and +green sides of the precipitous serpentine cliffs could now be +distinguished, assuming various fantastic shapes: one shaped into a +complete arch, another the form of a gigantic steeple, with several +caves penetrating deep into the cliff, on a level with the narrow belt +of yellow sand. + +Young Michael, though accustomed from his childhood to the wild and +romantic scenery, had never passed that way without looking at it with +an eye of interest, and wondering how those cliffs and rocks came to +assume the curious forms they wore. + +The little "Wild Duck," for that was the name Paul Trefusis had given +his boat, continued her course, flying before the fast increasing gale +close inshore, to avoid the strong tide which swept away to the +southward, till, rounding a point, she entered the mouth of a narrow +inlet which afforded shelter to a few boats and small craft. It was a +wild, almost savage-looking place, though extremely picturesque. On +either side were rugged and broken cliffs, in some parts rising sheer +out of the water to the gorse-covered downs above, in others broken in +terraces and ledges, affording space for a few fishermen's cottages and +huts, which were seen perched here and there, looking down on the +tranquil water of the harbour. + +The inlet made a sharp bend a short distance from its mouth, so that, as +Paul's boat proceeded upwards, the view of the sea being completely shut +out, it bore the appearance of a lake. At the further end a stream of +water came rushing down over the summit of the cliffs, dashing from +ledge to ledge, now breaking into masses of foam, now descending +perpendicularly many feet, now running along a rapid incline, and +serving to turn a small flour-mill built a short way up on the side of +the cliff above the harbour. + +Steep as were the cliffs, a zigzag road had been cut in them, leading +from the downs above almost to the mouth of the harbour, where a rock +which rose directly out of the water formed a natural quay, on which the +fishing-boats could land their cargoes. Beyond this the road was rough +and steep, and fitted only for people on foot, or donkeys with their +panniers, to go up and down. Art had done little to the place. + +The little "Wild Duck," a few moments before tossed and tumbled by the +angry seas, now glided smoothly along for a few hundred yards, when the +sails were lowered, and she floated up to a dock between two rocks. +Hence, a rough pathway led from one of the cottages perched on the side +of the cliff. At a distance it could scarcely have been distinguished +from the cliff itself. Its walls were composed of large blocks of +unhewn serpentine, masses of clay filling up the interstices, while it +was roofed with a thick dark thatch, tightly fastened down with ropes, +and still further secured by slabs of stone to prevent its being carried +away by the fierce blasts which are wont to sweep up and down the ravine +in winter. + +There was space enough on either side of the cottage for a small garden, +which appeared to be carefully cultivated, and was enclosed by a stone +wall. At the upper part of the pathway a flight of steps, roughly hewn +in the rock, led to the cottage door. + +The door opened as soon as Paul's boat rounded the point, and a young +girl with a small creel or fish basket at her back was seen lightly +tripping down the pathway, followed by an old woman, who, though she +supported her steps with a staff, also carried a creel of the ordinary +size. She wore a large broad-brimmed black hat, and a gaily-coloured +calico jacket over her winsey skirt; an apron, and shoes with metal +buckles, completing the ordinary costume of a fish-wife of that +district. Little Nelly was dressed very like her grandmother, except +that her feet were bare, and that she had a necklace of small shells +round her throat. Her face was pretty and intelligent, her well-browned +cheeks glowed with the hue of health, her eyes were large and grey, and +her black hair, drawn up off her forehead, hung in neat plaits tied with +ribbons behind her back. Nelly Trefusis was indeed a good specimen of a +young fisher-girl. + +She tripped lightly down the pathway, springing to the top of the +outermost rock just before her father's boat glided by it, and in an +instant stepping nimbly on board, she threw herself into his arms and +bestowed a kiss on his weather-beaten brow. + +Michael had leaped on shore to fend off the boat, so that he lost the +greeting she would have given him. + +"You have had a good haul with the nets to-night, father," she said, +looking into the baskets; "Granny and I can scarce carry half of them to +market, and unless Abel Mawgan the hawker comes in time to buy them, you +and Michael will have work to do to salt them down." + +"It is well that we should have had a good haul, Nelly, for dirty +weather is coming on, and it may be many a day before we are able to +cast our nets again," answered Paul, looking up affectionately at his +child, while he began with a well-practised hand to stow the boat's +sail. + +Nelly meantime was filling her creel with fish, that she might lessen +the weight of the baskets which her father and Michael had to lift on +shore. As soon as it was full she stepped back on the rock, giving a +kiss to Michael as she passed him. + +The baskets were soon landed, and the creel being filled, she and Nelly +ascended the hill, followed by Paul and Michael, who, carrying the +baskets between them, brought up the remainder of the fish. + +Breakfast, welcome to those who had been toiling all night, had been +placed ready on the table, and leaving Paul and his boy to discuss it, +Polly Lanreath, as the old dame was generally called, and her little +granddaughter, set off on their long journey over the downs to dispose +of their fish at Helston, or at the villages and the few gentlemen's +houses they passed on their way. It was a long distance for the old +woman and girl to go, but they went willingly whenever fish had been +caught, for they depended on its sale for their livelihood, and neither +Paul nor Michael could have undertaken the duty, nor would they have +sold the fish so well as the dame and Nelly, who were welcomed whenever +they appeared. Their customers knew that they could depend on their +word when they mentioned the very hour when the fish were landed. + +The old dame's tongue wagged cheerfully as she walked along with Nelly +by her side, and she often beguiled the way with tales and anecdotes of +bygone days, and ancient Cornish legends which few but herself +remembered. Nelly listened with eager ears, and stored away in her +memory all she heard, and often when they got back in the evening she +would beg her granny to recount again for the benefit of her father and +Michael the stories she had told in the morning. + +She had a cheerful greeting, too, for all she met; for some she had a +quiet joke; for the giddy and careless a word of warning, which came +with good effect from one whom all respected. At the cottages of the +poor she was always a welcome visitor, while at the houses of the more +wealthy she was treated with courtesy and kindness; and many a housewife +who might have been doubtful about buying fish that day, when the dame +and her granddaughter arrived, made up her mind to assist in lightening +Nelly's creel by selecting some of its contents. + +The dame, as her own load decreased, would always insist on taking some +of her granddaughter's, deeming that the little maiden had enough to do +to trot on so many miles by her side, without having to carry a burden +on her back in addition. Nelly would declare that she did not feel the +weight, but the sturdy old dame generally gained her point, though she +might consent to replenish Nelly's basket before entering the town, for +some of their customers preferred the fish which the bright little +damsel offered them for sale to those in her grandmother's creel. + +Thus, though their daily toil was severe, and carried on under summer's +sun, or autumn's gales, and winter's rain and sleet, they themselves +were ever cheerful and contented, and seldom failed to return home with +empty creels and well-filled purses. + +Paul Trefusis might thus have been able to lay by a store for the time +when the dame could no longer trudge over the country as she had +hitherto done, and he unable to put off with nets or lines to catch +fish; but often for weeks together the gales of that stormy coast +prevented him from venturing to sea, and the vegetables and potatoes +produced in his garden, and the few fish he and Michael could catch in +the harbour, were insufficient to support their little household, so +that at the end of each year Paul found himself no richer than at the +beginning. + +While Nelly and her grandmother and the other women of the village were +employed in selling the fish, the men had plenty of occupation during +the day in drying and mending their nets, and repairing their boats, +while some time was required to obtain the necessary sleep of which +their nightly toil had deprived them. Those toilers of the sea were +seldom idle. When bad weather prevented them from going far from the +coast, they fished with lines, or laid down their lobster-pots among the +rocks close inshore, while occasionally a few fish were to be caught in +the waters of their little harbour. Most of them also cultivated +patches of ground on the sides of the valley which opened out at the +further end of the gorge, but, except potatoes, their fields afforded +but precarious crops. + +Paul and Michael had performed most of their destined task: the net had +been spread along the rocks to dry, and two or three rents, caused by +the fisherman's foes, some huge conger or cod-fish, had been repaired. +A portion of their fish had been sold to Abel Mawgan, and the remainder +had been salted for their own use, when Paul, who had been going about +his work with less than his usual spirit, complained of pains in his +back and limbs. Leaving Michael to clean out the boat and moor her, and +to bring up the oars and other gear, he went into the cottage to lie +down and rest. + +Little perhaps did the strong and hardy fisherman suppose, as he threw +himself on his bunk in the little chamber where he and Michael slept, +that he should never again rise, and that his last trip on the salt sea +had been taken--that for the last time he had hauled his nets, that his +life's work was done. Yet he might have had some presentiment of what +was going to happen as he sailed homewards that morning, when he +resolved to tell Michael about his parents, and gave him the account of +his father's death which has been described. + +The young fisher boy went on board the "Wild Duck," and was busily +employed in cleaning her out, thinking over what he had heard in the +morning. Whilst thus engaged, he saw a small boat coming down from the +head of the harbour towards him, pulled by a lad somewhat older than +himself. + +"There is Eban Cowan, the miller's son. I suppose he is coming here. I +wonder what he wants?" he thought. "The `Polly' was out last night, and +got a good haul, so it cannot be for fish." + +Michael was right in supposing that Eban Cowan was coming to their +landing-place. The lad in the punt pulled up alongside the "Wild Duck." + +"How fares it with you, Michael?" he said, putting out his hand. "You +did well this morning, I suspect, like most of us. Did Abel Mawgan buy +all your `catch'? He took the whole of ours." + +"No, granny and Nelly started off to Helston with their creels full, as +they can get a much better price than Mawgan will give," answered +Michael. + +"I am sorry that Nelly is away, for I have brought her some shells I +promised her a month ago. But as I have nothing to do, I will bide with +you till she comes back." + +"She and granny won't be back till late, I am afraid, and you lose your +time staying here," said Michael. + +"Never mind, I will lend you a hand," said Eban, making his punt fast, +and stepping on board the "Wild Duck." + +He was a fine, handsome, broad-shouldered lad, with dark eyes and hair, +and with a complexion more like that of an inhabitant of the south than +of an English boy. + +He took up a mop as he spoke, whisking up the bits of seaweed and +fish-scales which covered the bottom of the boat. + +"Thank you," said Michael; "I won't ask you to stop, for I must go and +turn in and get some sleep. Father does not seem very well, and I shall +have more work in the evening." + +"What is the matter with Uncle Paul?" asked Eban. + +Michael told him that he had been complaining since the morning, but he +hoped the night's rest would set him to rights. + +"You won't want to go to sea to-night. It's blowing hard outside, and +likely to come on worse," observed Eban. + +Though he called Paul "uncle," there was no relationship. He merely +used the term of respect common in Cornwall when a younger speaks of an +older man. + +Eban, however, did not take Michael's hint, but continued working away +in the boat till she was completely put to rights. + +"Now," he said, "I will help you up with the oars and sails. You have +more than enough to do, it seems to me, for a small fellow like you." + +"I am able to do it," answered Michael; "and I am thankful that I can." + +"You live hard, though, and your father grows no richer," observed Eban. +"If he did as others do, and as my father has advised him many a time, +he would be a richer man, and you and your sister and Aunt Lanreath +would not have to toil early and late, and wear the life out of you as +you do. I hope you will be wiser." + +"I know my father is right, whatever he does, and I hope to follow his +example," answered Michael, unstepping the mast, which he let fall on +his shoulder preparatory to carrying it up to the shed. + +"I was going to take that up," said Eban; "it is too heavy for you by +half." + +"It is my duty, thank you," said Michael, somewhat coldly, stepping on +shore with his burden. + +Slight as he looked, he carried the heavy spar up the pathway and +deposited it against the side of the house. He was returning for the +remainder of the boat's gear, when he met Eban with it on his shoulders. + +"Thank you," he said; "but I don't want to give you my work to do." + +"It's no labour to me," answered Eban. "Just do you go and turn in, and +I will moor the boat and make a new set of `tholes' for you." + +Again Michael begged that his friend would not trouble himself, adding-- + +"If you have brought the shells for Nelly and will leave them with me, I +will give them to her when she comes home." + +Nothing he could say, however, would induce Eban to go away. The latter +had made up his mind to remain till Nelly's return. + +Still Michael was not to be turned from his purpose of doing his own +work, though he could not prevent Eban from assisting him; and not till +the boat was moored, and her gear deposited in the shed, would he +consent to enter the cottage and seek the rest he required. + +Meantime Eban, returning to his punt, shaped out a set of new tholes as +he proposed, and then set off up the hill, hoping to meet Nelly and her +grandmother. + +He must have found them, for after some time he again came down the hill +in their company, talking gaily, now to one, now to the other. He was +evidently a favourite with the old woman. + +Nelly thanked him with a sweet smile for the shells, which he had +collected in some of the sandy little bays along the coast, which +neither she nor Michael had ever been able to visit. + +She was about to invite him into, the cottage, when Michael appeared at +the door, saying, with a sad face-- + +"O granny! I am so thankful you are come; father seems very bad, and +groans terribly. I never before saw him in such a way, and have not +known what to do." + +Nelly on this darted in, and was soon by Paul's bedside, followed by her +grandmother. + +Eban lingered about outside waiting. Michael at length came out to him +again. + +"There is no use waiting," he said; and Eban, reluctantly going down to +his boat, pulled away up the harbour. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +Paul continued to suffer much during the evening; still he would not +have the doctor sent for. "I shall get better maybe soon, if it's God's +will, though such pains are new to me," he said, groaning as he spoke. + +The storm which had been threatening now burst with unusual strength. +Michael, with the assistance of Nelly and her grandmother, got in the +nets in time. + +All hope of doing anything on the water for that night, at all events, +must be abandoned; the weather was even too bad to allow Michael to fish +in the harbour. + +Little Nelly's young heart was deeply grieved as she heard her father +groan with pain--he who had never had a day's illness that she could +recollect. Nothing the dame could think of relieved him. + +The howling of the wind, the roaring of the waves as they dashed against +the rock-bound coast, the pattering of the rain, and ever and anon the +loud claps of thunder which echoed among the cliffs, made Nelly's heart +sink within her. Often it seemed as if the very roof of the cottage +would be blown off. Still she was thankful that her father and Michael +were inside instead of buffeting the foaming waves out at sea. + +If careful tending could have done Paul good he would soon have got +well. The old dame seemed to require no sleep, and she would scarcely +let either of her grandchildren take her place even for a few minutes. +Though she generally went marketing, rather than leave her charge she +sent Michael and Nelly to buy bread and other necessaries at the nearest +village, which was, however, at some distance. + +The rain had ceased, but the wind blew strong over the wild moor. + +"I am afraid father is going to be very ill," observed Michael. "He +seemed to think something was going to happen to him when he told me +what I did not know before about myself. Have you heard anything about +it, Nelly?" + +"What is it?" asked Nelly; "till you tell me I cannot say." + +"You've always thought that I was your brother, Nelly, haven't you?" + +"As to that, I have always loved you as a brother, and whether one or +no, that should not make you unhappy. Has father said anything to you +about it?" + +"Yes. He said that I was not your brother; and he has told me all about +my father and mother: how my father was drowned, and my mother died of a +broken heart. I could well-nigh have cried when I heard the tale." + +Nelly looked up into Michael's face. + +"It's no news to me," she said. "Granny told me of it some time ago, +but I begged her not to let you find it out lest it should make you +unhappy, and you should fancy we were not going to love you as much as +we have always done. But, Michael, don't go and fancy that; though you +are not my brother, I will love you as much as ever, as long as you +live: for, except father and granny, I have no friend but you in the +world." + +"I will be your brother and your true friend as long as I live, Nelly," +responded Michael; "still I would rather have thought myself to be your +brother, that I might have a better right to work for you, and fight for +you too, if needs be." + +"You will do that, I know, Michael," said Nelly, "whatever may happen." + +Michael felt that he should be everything that was bad if he did not, +though it did not occur to him to make any great promises of what he +would do. + +They went on talking cheerfully and happily together, for though Nelly +was anxious about her father, she did not yet understand how ill he was. + +They procured the articles for which they had been sent, and, laden with +them, returned homewards. They were making their way along one of the +hedges which divide the fields in that part of Cornwall--not composed of +brambles but of solid rock, and so broad that two people can walk +abreast without fear of tumbling off--and were yet some distance from +the edge of the ravine down which they had to go to their home, when +they saw Eban Cowan coming towards them. + +"I wish he had gone some other way," said Nelly. "He is very kind +bringing me shells and other things, but, Michael, I do not like him. I +do not know what it is, but there is something in the tone of his voice; +it's not truthful like yours and father's." + +"I never thought about that. He is a bold-hearted, good-natured +fellow," observed Michael. "He has always been inclined to like us, and +shown a wish to be friendly." + +"I don't want to make him suppose that we are not friendly," said Nelly; +"only still--" + +She was unable to finish the sentence, as the subject of their +conversation had got close up to them. + +"Good-day, Nelly; good-day, Michael," he said, putting out his hand. +"You have got heavy loads; let me carry yours, Nelly." + +She, however, declined his assistance. + +"It is lighter than you suppose, and I can carry it well," she answered. + +He looked somewhat angry and then walked on, Michael having to give way +to let him pass. Instead, however, of doing so, he turned round +suddenly and kept alongside Nelly, compelling Michael in consequence to +walk behind them. + +"I went to ask after your father, Nelly," he said, "and, hearing that +you were away, came on to meet you. I am sorry to find he is no +better." + +"Thank you," said Nelly; "father is very ill, I fear; but God is +merciful, and will take care of him and make him well if He thinks fit." + +Eban made no reply to this remark. He was not accustomed in his family +to hear God spoken of except when that holy name was profaned by being +joined to a curse. + +"You had better let me take your creel, Nelly; it will be nothing to +me." + +"It is nothing to me either," answered Nelly, laughing. "I undertook to +bring home the things, and I do not wish anybody else to do my work." + +Still Eban persisted in his offers; she as constantly refusing, till +they reached the top of the pathway. + +"There," she said, "I have only to go down hill now, so you need not be +afraid the load will break my back. Good-bye, Eban, you will be wanted +at home I dare say." + +Eban looked disconcerted; he appeared to have intended to accompany her +down the hill, but he had sense enough to see that she did not wish him +to do so. He stopped short, therefore. + +"Good-bye, Eban," said Michael, as he passed him; "Nelly and I must get +home as fast as we can to help granny nurse father." + +"That's the work you are most fitted for," muttered Eban, as Michael +went on. "If it was not for Nelly I should soon quarrel with that +fellow. He is always talking about his duty, and fearing God, and such +like things. If he had more spirit he would not hold back as he does +from joining us. However, I will win him over some day when he is +older, and it is not so easy to make a livelihood with his nets and +lines alone as he supposes." + +Eban remained on the top of the hill watching his young acquaintances as +they descended the steep path, and then made his way homewards. + +When Nelly and Michael arrived at the cottage the dame told them, to +their sorrow, that their father was not better but rather worse. He +still, however, forbad her sending for the doctor. + +Day after day he continued much in the same state, though he endeavoured +to encourage them with the hopes that he should get well at last. + +The weather continued so bad all this time that Michael could not get +out in the boat to fish with lines or lay down his lobster-pots. He and +Nelly might have lost spirit had not their granny kept up hers and +cheered them. + +"We must expect bad times, my children, in this world," she said. "The +sun does not always shine, but when clouds cover the sky we know they +will blow away at last and we shall have fine days again. I have had +many trials in my life, but here I am as well and hardy as ever. We +cannot tell why some are spared and some are taken away. It is God's +will, that's all we know. It was His will to take your parents, +Michael, but He may think fit to let you live to a green old age. I +knew your father and mother, and your grandmother too. Your grandmother +had her trials, and heavy ones they were. I remember her a pretty, +bright young woman as I ever saw. She lived in a gentleman's house as a +sort of nurse or governess, where all were very fond of her, and she +might have lived on in the house to the end of her days; but she was +courted by a fine-looking fellow, who passed as the captain of a +merchant vessel. A captain he was, though not of an honest trader, as +he pretended, but of a smuggling craft, of which there were not a few in +those days off this coast. The match was thought a good one for Nancy +Trewinham when she married Captain Brewhard. They lived in good style +and she was made much of, and looked upon as a lady, but before long she +found out her husband's calling, and right-thinking and good as she was +she could not enjoy her riches. She tried to persuade her husband to +abandon his calling, but he laughed at her, and told her that if it was +not for that he should be a beggar. + +"He moved away from Penzance, where he had a house, and after going to +two or three other places, came to live near here. They had at this +time two children, a fine lad of fifteen or sixteen years old, and your +mother Judith. + +"The captain was constantly away from home, and, to the grief of his +wife, insisted on taking his boy with him. She well knew the hazardous +work he was engaged in; so did most of the people on the coast, though +he still passed where he lived for the master of a regular merchantman. + +"There are some I have known engaged in smuggling for years, who have +died quietly in their beds, but many, too, have been drowned at sea or +killed in action with the king's cruisers, or shot landing their goods. + +"There used to be some desperate work going on along this coast in my +younger days. + +"At last the captain, taking his boy with him, went away in his lugger, +the `Lively Nancy,' over to France. She was a fine craft, carrying +eight guns, and a crew of thirty men or more. The king's cruisers had +long been on the watch for her. As you know, smugglers always choose a +dark and stormy night for running their cargoes. There was a cutter at +the time off the coast commanded by an officer who had made up his mind +to take the `Lively Nancy,' let her fight ever so desperately. Her +captain laughed at his threats, and declared that he would send her to +the bottom first. + +"I lived at that time with my husband and Nelly's mother, our only +child, at Landewednach. It was blowing hard from the south-west with a +cloudy sky, when just before daybreak a sound of firing at sea was +heard. There were few people in the village who did not turn out to try +and discover what was going on. The morning was dark, but we saw the +flashes of guns to the westward, and my husband and others made out that +there were two vessels engaged standing away towards Mount's Bay. We +all guessed truly that one was the `Lively Nancy,' and the other the +king's cutter. + +"Gradually the sounds of the guns grew less and the flashes seemed +further off. After some time, however, they again drew near. It was +evident that the cutter had attacked the lugger, which was probably +endeavouring to get away out to sea or to round the Lizard, when, with a +flowing sheet before the wind, she would have a better chance of escape. + +"Just then daylight broke, and we could distinguish both the vessels +close-hauled, the lugger to leeward trying to weather on the cutter, +which was close to her on her quarter, both carrying as much sail as +they could stagger under. They kept firing as fast as the guns could be +loaded, each trying to knock away her opponent's spars, so that more +damage was done to the rigging than to the crews of the vessels. + +"The chief object of the smugglers was to escape, and this they hoped to +do if they could bring down the cutter's mainsail. The king's officer +knew that he should have the smugglers safe enough if he could but make +them strike; this, however, knowing that they all fought with ropes +round their necks, they had no thoughts of doing. + +"Though the lugger stood on bravely, we could see that she was being +jammed down gradually towards the shore. My good man cried out, `that +her fore-tack was shot away and it would now go hard with her.' + +"The smugglers, however, in spite of the fire to which they were +exposed, got it hauled down. The cutter was thereby enabled to range up +alongside. + +"By this time the two vessels got almost abreast of the point, but there +were the Stags to be weathered. If the lugger could do that she might +then keep away. There seemed a good chance that she would do it, and +many hoped she would, for their hearts were with her rather than with +the king's cruiser. + +"She was not a quarter of a mile from the Stags when down came her +mainmast. It must have knocked over the man at the helm and injured +others standing aft, for her head fell off and she ran on directly for +the rocks. Still her crew did their best to save her. The wreck was +cleared away, and once more she stood up as close as she could now be +kept to the wind. One of her guns only was fired, for the crew had +somewhat else to do just then. The cutter no longer kept as close to +her as before; well did her commander know the danger of standing too +near those terrible rocks, over which the sea was breaking in masses of +foam. + +"There seemed a chance that the lugger might still scrape clear of the +rocks; if not, in a few moments she must be dashed to pieces and every +soul on board perish. + +"I could not help thinking of the poor lad whom his father had taken +with him in spite of his mother's tears and entreaties. It must have +been a terrible thought for the captain that he had thus brought his +young son to an untimely end. For that reason I would have given much +to see the lugger escape, but it was not to be. + +"The seas came rolling in more heavily than before. A fierce blast +struck her, and in another instant, covered with a shroud of foam, she +was dashed against the wild rocks, and when we looked again she seemed +to have melted away--not a plank of her still holding together. + +"The cutter herself had but just weathered the rocks, and though she +stood to leeward of them on the chance of picking up any of the luggers +crew who might have escaped, not one was found. + +"Such was the end of the `Lively Nancy,' and your bold grandfather. +Your poor grandmother never lifted up her head after she heard of what +had happened. Still she struggled on for the sake of her little +daughter, but by degrees all the money she possessed was spent. She at +once moved into a small cottage, and then at last she and her young +daughter found shelter in a single room. After this she did not live +long, and your poor mother was left destitute. It was then your father +met her, and though she had more education than he had, and remembered +well the comfort she had once enjoyed, she consented to become his wife. +He did his best for her, for he was a true-hearted, honest man, but she +was ill fitted for the rough life a fisherman's wife has to lead, and +when the news of her husband's death reached her she laid down and died. + +"There, Michael, now you have learned all you are ever likely to know of +your family, for no one can tell you more about them than I can. + +"You see you cannot count upon many friends in the world except those +you make yourself. But there is one Friend you have Who will never, if +you trust to Him, leave or forsake you. He is truer than all earthly +friends, and Paul Trefusis has acted a father's part in bringing you up +to fear and honour Him." + +"I do trust God, for it is He you speak of, granny," said Michael, "and +I will try to love and obey Him as long as I live. He did what He knew +to be best when He took my poor father away, and gave me such a good one +as he who lies sick in there. I wish, granny, that you could have given +me a better account of my grandfather." + +"I thought it best that you should know the truth, Michael, and as you +cannot be called to account for what he was, you need not trouble +yourself about that matter. Your grandmother was an excellent woman, +and I have a notion that she was of gentle blood, so it is well you +should remember her name, and you may some day hear of her kith and kin: +not that you are ever likely to gain anything by that; still it's a +set-off against what your grandfather was, though people hereabouts will +never throw that in your face." + +"I should care little for what they may say," answered Michael; "all I +wish is to grow into a strong man to be able to work for you and Nelly +and poor father, if he does not gain his strength. I will do my best +now, and when the pilchard season comes on I hope, if I can get David +Treloar or another hand in the boat, to do still better." + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +Day after day Paul Trefusis lay on his sick-bed. A doctor was sent for, +but his report was unfavourable. Nelly asked him, with trembling lips, +whether he thought her father would ever get well. + +"You must not depend too much on that, my little maiden," he answered; +"but I hope your brother, who seems an industrious lad, and that +wonderful old woman, your grandmother, will help you to keep the pot +boiling in the house, and I dare say you will find friends who will +assist you when you require it. Good-bye; I'll come and see your father +again soon; but all I can do is to relieve his pain." + +Dame Lanreath and Michael did, indeed, do their best to keep the pot +boiling: early and late Michael was at work, either digging in the +garden, fishing in the harbour, or, when the weather would allow him, +going with the boat outside. Young as he was, he was well able, under +ordinary circumstances, to manage her by himself, though, of course, +single-handed, he could not use the nets. + +Though he toiled very hard, he could, however, obtain but a scanty +supply of fish. When he obtained more than were required for home +consumption, the dame would set off to dispose of them; but she had no +longer the companionship of Nelly, who remained to watch over her poor +father. + +When Paul had strength sufficient to speak, which he had not always, he +would give his daughter good advice, and warn her of the dangers to +which she would be exposed in the world. + +"Nelly," he said, "do not trust a person with a soft-speaking tongue, +merely because he is soft-speaking; or one with good looks, merely +because he has good looks. Learn his character first--how he spends his +time, how he speaks about other people, and, more than all, how he +speaks about God. Do not trust him because he says pleasant things to +you. There is Eban Cowan, for instance, a good-looking lad, with +pleasant manners; but he comes of a bad stock, and is not brought up to +fear God. It is wrong to speak ill of one's neighbours, so I have not +talked of what I know about his father and his father's companions; but, +Nelly dear, I tell you not to trust him or them till you have good cause +to do so." + +Nelly, like a wise girl, never forgot what her father said to her. + +After this Paul grew worse. Often, for days together, he was racked +with pain, and could scarcely utter a word. Nelly tended him with the +most loving care. It grieved her tender heart to see him suffer; but +she tried to conceal her sorrow, and he never uttered a word of +complaint. + +Michael had now become the main support of the family; for though Paul +had managed to keep out of debt and have a small supply of money in +hand, yet that was gradually diminishing. + +"Never fear, Nelly," said Michael, when she told him one day how little +they had left; "we must hope for a good pilchard-fishing, and we can +manage to rub on till then. The nets are in good order, and I can get +the help I spoke of; so that I can take father's place, and we shall +have his share in the company's fishing." + +Michael alluded to a custom which prevails among the fishermen on that +coast. A certain number, who possess boats and nets, form a company, +and fish together when the pilchards visit their coast, dividing +afterwards the amount they receive for the fish caught. + +"It is a long time to wait till then," observed Nelly. + +"But on most days I can catch lobsters and crabs, and every time I have +been out lately the fish come to my lines more readily than they used to +do," answered Michael. "Do not be cast down, Nelly dear, we have a +Friend in heaven, as father says, Who will take care of us; let us trust +Him." + +Time passed on. Paul Trefusis, instead of getting better, became worse +and worse. His once strong, stout frame was now reduced to a mere +skeleton. Still Nelly and Michael buoyed themselves up with the hope +that he would recover. Dame Lanreath knew too well that his days on +earth were drawing to an end. + +Michael had become the mainstay of the family. Whenever a boat could +get outside, the "Wild Duck" was sure to be seen making her way towards +the best fishing-ground. + +Paul, before he started each day, inquired which way the wind was, and +what sea there was on, and advised him where to go. "Michael," said +Paul, as the boy came one morning to wish him good-bye, "fare thee well, +lad; don't forget the advice I have given thee, and look after little +Nelly and her grandmother, and may God bless and prosper thee;" and +taking Michael's hand, Paul pressed it gently. He had no strength for a +firm grasp now. + +Michael was struck by his manner. Had it not been necessary to catch +some fish he would not have left the cottage. + +Putting the boat's sail and other gear on board, he pulled down the +harbour. He had to pull some little way out to sea. The wind was +setting on shore. He did not mind that, for he should sail back the +faster. The weather did not look as promising as he could have wished: +dark clouds were gathering to the north-west and passing rapidly over +the sky. As he knew, should the wind stand, he could easily regain the +harbour, he went rather more to the southward than he otherwise would +have done, to a good spot, where he had often had a successful fishing. +He had brought his dinner with him, as he intended to fish all day. His +lines were scarcely overboard before he got a bite, and he was soon +catching fish as fast as he could haul his lines on board. This put him +in good spirits. + +"Granny will have her creel full to sell to-morrow," he thought. "Maybe +I shall get back in time for her to set off to-day." + +So eagerly occupied was he that he did not observe the change of the +weather. The wind had veered round more to the northward. It was every +instant blowing stronger and stronger, although, from its coming off the +land, there was not much sea on. + +At last he had caught a good supply of fish. By waiting he might have +obtained many more, but he should then be too late for that day's +market. Lifting his anchor, therefore, he got out his oars and began to +pull homewards. The wind was very strong, and he soon found that, with +all his efforts, he could make no headway. The tide, too, had turned, +and was against him, sweeping round in a strong current to the +southward. In vain he pulled. Though putting all the strength he +possessed to his oars, still, as he looked at the shore, he was rather +losing than gaining ground. He knew that the attempt to reach the +harbour under sail would be hopeless; he should be sure to lose every +tack he made. Already half a gale of wind was blowing, and the boat, +with the little ballast there was in her, would scarcely look up even to +the closest reefed canvas. + +Again he dropped his anchor, intending to wait the turn of the tide, +sorely regretting that he could not take the fish home in time for +granny to sell on that day. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Dame Lanreath and Nelly had been anxiously expecting Michael's return, +and the dame had got ready to set off as soon as he appeared with the +fish they hoped he would catch. Still he did not come. + +Paul had more than once inquired for him. He told Nelly to go out and +see how the wind was, and whether there was much sea on. + +Nelly made her way under the cliffs to the nearest point whence she +could obtain a view of the mouth of the harbour and the sea beyond. She +looked out eagerly for Michael's boat, hoping to discover her making her +way towards the shore; but Nelly looked in vain. Already there was a +good deal of sea on, and the wind, which had been blowing strong from +the north-west, while she was standing there veered a point or two more +to the northward. + +"Where could Michael have gone?" She looked and looked till her eyes +ached, still she could not bring herself to go back without being able +to make some report about him. At last she determined to call at the +cottage of Reuben Lanaherne, a friend of her father's, though a somewhat +older man. + +"What is it brings you here, my pretty maiden?" said Uncle Reuben, who, +for a wonder, was at home, as Nelly, after gently knocking, lifted the +latch and entered a room with sanded floor and blue painted ceiling. + +"O Uncle Lanaherne," she said, "can you tell me where you think Michael +has gone? he ought to have been back long ago." + +"He would have been wiser not to have gone out at all with the weather +threatening as it has been; but he is a handy lad in a boat, Nelly, and +he will find his way in as well as any one, so don't you be unhappy +about him," was the answer. + +Still Reuben looked a little anxious, and putting on his hat, buttoning +up his coat, and taking his glass under his arm, he accompanied Nelly to +the point. He took a steady survey round. + +"Michael's boat is nowhere near under sail," he observed. "There seems +to me a boat, however, away to the southward, but, with the wind and +tide as at present, she cannot be coming here. I wish I could make out +more to cheer you, Nelly. You must tell your father that; and he knows +if we can lend Michael a hand we will. How is he to-day?" + +"He is very bad, Uncle Lanaherne," said Nelly, with a sigh; "I fear +sometimes that he will never go fishing again." + +"I am afraid not, Nelly," observed the rough fisherman, putting his hand +on her head; "but you know you and your brother will always find a +friend in Reuben Lanaherne. An honest man's children will never want, +and if there ever was an honest man, your poor father is one. I will +keep a look-out for Michael, but do not be cast down, Nelly; we shall +see him before long." + +The fisherman spoke in a cheery tone, but still he could not help +feeling more anxiety than he expressed for Michael. + +Every moment the wind was increasing, and the heavy seas which came +rolling in showed that a gale had been blowing for some time outside. + +Nelly hastened back to tell her father what Uncle Lanaherne had said. + +When she got to his bedside she found that a great change had taken +place during her absence. Her father turned his dim eye towards her as +she entered, but had scarcely strength to speak, or beckon her with his +hands. She bent over him. + +"Nelly dear, where is Michael?" he asked, "I want to bless him, he must +come quickly, for I have not long to stay." + +"He has not come on shore yet, father, but Uncle Lanaherne is looking +out for him," said Nelly. + +"I wanted to see him again," whispered Paul. "It will be too late if he +does not come now; so tell him, Nelly, that I do bless him, and I bless +you, Nelly, bless you, bless you;" and his voice became fainter. + +Nelly, seeing a change come over her father's features, cried out for +her granny. Dame Lanreath hastened into the room. The old woman saw at +a glance what had happened. Paul Trefusis was dead. + +Closing his eyes, she took her grandchild by the hand, and led her out +of the room. + +Some time passed, however, before Nelly could realise what had happened. + +"Your father has gone, Nelly, but he has gone to heaven, and is happier +far than he ever was or ever could be down on earth even in the best of +times. Bad times may be coming, and God in His love and mercy took him +that he might escape them." + +"But, then, why didn't God take us?" asked Nelly, looking up. "I would +have liked to die with him. Bad times will be as hard for us to bear as +for him." + +"God always does what is best, and He has a reason for keeping us on +earth," answered the dame. "He has kept me well-nigh fourscore years, +and given me health and strength, and good courage to bear whatever I +have had to bear, and He will give you strength, Nelly, according to +your need." + +"Ah, I was wicked to say what I did," answered Nelly; "but I am sad +about father and you and myself, and very sad, too, about Michael. He +will grieve so when he comes home and finds father gone, if he comes at +all. And, O granny, I begin to fear that he won't come home! what has +happened to him I cannot tell; and if you had seen the heavy sea there +was rolling outside you would fear the worst." + +"Still, Nelly, we must trust in God; if He has taken Michael, He has +done it for the best, not the worst, Nelly," answered Dame Lanreath. +"But when I say this, Nelly, I don't want to stop your tears, they are +given in mercy to relieve your grief; but pray to God, Nelly, to help +us; He will do so--only trust Him." + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +The day was drawing to a close when the storm, which had been +threatening all the morning on which Paul Trefusis died, swept fiercely +up the harbour, showing that the wind had again shifted to the westward. + +Poor Nelly, though cast down with grief at her father's death, could not +help trembling as she thought of Michael, exposed as she knew he must be +to its rage. Was he, too, to be taken away from them? + +She was left much alone, as Dame Lanreath had been engaged, with the +assistance of a neighbour, in the sad duty of laying out the dead man. +Nelly several times had run out to look down the harbour, hoping against +hope that she might see Michael's boat sailing up it. + +At length, in spite of the gale, she made her way to Reuben Lanaherne's +cottage. His wife and daughter were seated at their work, but he was +not there. Agitated and breathless from encountering the fierce wind, +she could scarcely speak as she entered. + +"Sit down, maiden; what ails thee?" said Dame Lanaherne, rising, and +kindly placing her on a stool by her side. + +Nelly could only answer with sobs. + +Just then old Reuben himself entered, shaking the spray from his thick +coat. + +"How is thy father, Nelly?" he asked. + +"He has gone," she answered, sobbing afresh. "And, O Uncle Reuben, have +you seen Michael's boat? can you tell me where he is?" + +"I have not forgotten him, Nelly, and have been along the shore as far +as I could make my way on the chance that he might have missed the +harbour, and had run for Kynance Cove, but not a sign of him or his boat +could I see. I wish I had better news for you, Nelly. And your good +father gone too! Don't take on so--he is free from pain now--happy in +heaven; and there is One above Who will look after Michael, though what +has become of him is more than I can tell you." + +The old fisherman's words brought little comfort to poor Nelly, though +he and his wife and daughter did their best to console her. They +pressed her to remain with them, but she would not be absent longer from +her granny, and, thanking them for their kindness, hurried homewards. + +The wind blew fiercely, but no rain had as yet fallen. + +Their neighbour, having rendered all the assistance required, had gone +away, and the old dame and her young grandchild sat together side by +side in the outer room. They could talk only of Michael. The dame did +not dare to utter what she thought. His small boat might have been +swamped in the heavy sea, or he might have fallen overboard and been +unable to regain her; or, attempting to land on a rocky coast, she might +have been dashed to pieces, and he swept off by the receding surf. Such +had been the fate of many she had known. + +As each succeeding gust swept by, poor Nelly started and trembled in +spite of her efforts to keep calm. + +At length down came the rain battering against the small panes of glass. + +At that instant there was a knocking at the door. + +"Can you give us shelter from the storm, good folks?" said a voice; and, +the latch being lifted, an elderly gentleman, accompanied by two ladies, +one of whom was young and the other more advanced in life, appeared at +the entrance. + +They evidently took it for granted that they should not be denied. + +"You are welcome, though you come to a house of mourning," said Dame +Lanreath, rising, while Nelly hastened to place stools for them to sit +on. + +"I am afraid, then, that we are intruders," said the gentleman, "and we +would offer to go on, but my wife and daughter would be wet through +before we could reach any other shelter." + +"We would not turn any one away, especially you and Mistress Tremayne," +said the dame, looking at the elder lady. + +"What! do you know us?" asked the gentleman. + +"I know Mistress Tremayne and the young lady from her likeness to what I +recollect of her mother," answered Dame Lanreath. "I seldom forget a +person I once knew, and she has often bought fish of me in days gone +by." + +"And I, too, recollect you. If I mistake not you used to be pretty +widely known as Polly Lanreath," said the lady, looking at the old +fish-wife. + +"And so I am now, Mistress Tremayne," answered the dame, "though not +known so far and wide as I once was. I can still walk my twenty miles +a-day; but years grow on one; and when I see so many whom I have known +as children taken away, I cannot expect to remain hale and strong much +longer." + +"You have altered but little since I knew you," observed Mrs Tremayne, +"and I hope that you may retain your health and strength for many years +to come." + +"That's as God wills," said the dame. "I pray it may be so for the sake +of my little Nelly here." + +"She is your grandchild, I suppose," observed Mrs Tremayne. + +"Ay, and the only one I have got to live for now. Her father has just +gone, and she and I are left alone." + +"O granny, but there is Michael; don't talk of him as gone," exclaimed +Nelly. "He will come back, surely he will come back." + +This remark of Nelly's caused Mr and Mrs Tremayne to make further +inquiries. + +They at first regretted that they had been compelled to take shelter in +the cottage, but as the dame continued talking, their interest in what +she said increased. + +"It seemed strange, Mistress Tremayne, that you should have come here at +this moment," she observed. "Our Michael is the grandson of one whom +you knew well in your childhood; she was Nancy Trewinham, who was nurse +in the family of your mother, Lady Saint Mabyn; and you, if I mistake +not, were old enough at the time to remember her." + +"Yes, indeed, I do perfectly well; and I have often heard my mother +express her regret that so good and gentle a young woman should have +married a man who, though apparently well-to-do in the world, was more +than suspected to be of indifferent character," said the lady. "We +could gain no intelligence of her after she left Penzance, though I +remember my father saying that he had no doubt a noted smuggler whose +vessel was lost off this coast was the man she had married. Being +interested in her family, he made inquiries, but could not ascertain +whether she had survived her unhappy husband or not. And have you, +indeed, taken charge of her grandson in addition to those of your own +family whom you have had to support?" + +"It was not I took charge of the boy, but my good son-in-law, who lies +dead there," said the dame. "He thought it but a slight thing, and only +did what he knew others would do by him." + +"He deserved not the less credit," said Mr Tremayne. "We shall, +indeed, be anxious to hear that the boy has come to no harm, and I am +sure that Mrs Tremayne will be glad to do anything in her power to +assist you and him should he, as I hope, have escaped. We purpose +staying at Landewednach for a few days to visit the scenery on the +coast, and will send down to inquire to-morrow." + +While Mr and Mrs Tremayne and the old dame had been talking, Miss +Tremayne had beckoned to Nelly to come and sit by her, and, speaking in +a kind and gentle voice, had tried to comfort the young girl. She, +however, could only express her hope that Michael had by some means or +other escaped. Though Nelly knew that that hope was vain, the sympathy +which was shown her soothed her sorrow more than the words which were +uttered. + +Sympathy, in truth, is the only balm that one human being can pour into +the wounded heart of another. Would that we could remember that in all +our grief and sufferings we have One in heaven Who can sympathise with +us as He did when He wept with the sorrowing family at Bethany. + +The rain ceased almost as suddenly as it had commenced, and as Mr and +Mrs Tremayne, who had left their carriage on the top of the hill, were +anxious to proceed on their journey, they bade Dame Lanreath and Nelly +good-bye, again apologising for having intruded on them. + +"Don't talk of that please, Mistress Tremayne," said the old dame. +"Your visit has been a blessing to us, as it has taken us off our own +sad thoughts. Nelly already looks less cast down, from what the young +lady has been saying to her, and though you can't bring the dead to life +we feel your kindness." + +"You will let me make it rather more substantial, then, by accepting +this trifle, which may be useful under the present circumstances," said +the gentleman, offering a couple of guineas. + +The old dame looked at them, a struggle seemed to be going on within +her. + +"I thank you kindly, sir, that I do," she answered; "but since my +earliest days I have gained my daily bread and never taken charity from +any one." + +"But you must not consider this as charity, dame," observed Mrs +Tremayne; "it is given to show our interest in your little granddaughter +and in the boy whom your son-in-law and you have so generously protected +so many years. I should, indeed, feel bound to assist him, and +therefore on his account pray receive it and spend it as you may +require." + +The dame's scruples were at length overcome, and her guests, after she +had again expressed her feelings of gratitude, took their departure. + +They had scarcely gone when Eban Cowan appeared at the door. + +"I have just heard what has happened, and I could not let the day pass +without coming to tell you how sorry I am," he said, as he entered. + +Nelly thanked him warmly. + +"Father has gone to heaven and is at rest," she said, quietly. + +"I should think that you would rather have had him with you down on +earth," observed Eban, who little comprehended her feelings. + +"So I would, but it was God's will to take him, and he taught me to say, +`Thy will be done;' and I can say that though I grieve for his loss," +answered Nelly. "But, O Eban, when you came I thought that you had +brought some tidings of Michael." + +"No! Where is he? I did not know that he was not at home." + +Nelly then told Eban how Michael had gone away with the boat in the +morning and had not returned. "I will go and search for him then," he +said. "He has run in somewhere, perhaps, along the coast. I wonder, +when you spoke to Uncle Lanaherne, that he did not set off at once. But +I will go. I'll get father to send some men with me with ropes, and if +he is alive and clinging to a rock, as he may be, we will bring him +back." + +Nelly poured out her thanks to Eban, who, observing that there was no +time to be lost, set off to carry out his proposal. + +Dame Lanreath had said but little. She shook her head when he had gone, +as Nelly continued praising him. + +"He is brave and bold, Nelly, but that could be said of Captain Brewhard +and many others I have known, who were bad husbands and false friends, +and there is something about the lad I have never liked. He is inclined +to be friendly now; and as you grow up he will wish, maybe, to be more +friendly; but I warn you against him, Nelly dear. Though he speaks to +you ever go fair, don't trust him." + +"But I must be grateful to him as long as I live if he finds Michael," +answered Nelly, who thought her grandmother condemned Eban without +sufficient cause. + +Had she known how he had often talked to Michael, she might have been of +a different opinion. + +The storm continued to blow as fiercely as ever, and the rain again came +pelting down; ever and anon peals of thunder rattled and crashed +overhead, and flashes of lightning, seen more vividly through the +thickening gloom, darted from the sky. + +Dame Lanreath and Nelly sat in their cottage by the dead--the old woman +calm and unmoved, though Nelly, at each successive crash of thunder or +flash of lightning, drew closer to her grandmother, feeling more secure +in the embrace of the only being on whom she had now to rely for +protection in the wide world. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +Young Michael sat all alone in his boat, tossed about by the foaming +seas. His anchor held, so there was no fear of his drifting. But that +was not the only danger to which he was exposed. At any moment a sea +might break on board and wash him away, or swamp the boat. + +He looked round him, calmly considering what was best to be done. No +coward fear troubled his mind, yet he clearly saw the various risks he +must run. He thought of heaving his ballast overboard and trying to +ride out the gale where he was, but then he must abandon all hope of +reaching the harbour by his own unaided efforts. He might lash himself +to a thwart, and thus escape being washed away; still the fierce waves +might tear the boat herself to pieces, so that he quickly gave up that +idea. He was too far off to be seen from the shore, except perhaps by +the keen-sighted coast-guard men; but even if seen, what boat would +venture out into the fast-rising sea to his rescue. He must, he felt, +depend upon himself, with God's aid, for saving his life. + +Any longer delay would only increase his peril. The wind and tide would +prevent him gaining any part of the coast to the northward. He would +therefore make sail and run for Landewednach, for not another spot where +he had the slightest prospect of landing in safety was to be found +between the Gull Rock and the beach at that place. He very well knew, +indeed, the danger he must encounter even there, but it was a choice of +evils. He quickly made up his mind. + +He at first set to work to bail out the boat, for already she had +shipped a good deal of water. He had plenty of sea room, so that he +might venture to lift his anchor. But it was no easy work, and the sea, +which broke over the bows again and again, made him almost relinquish +the effort, and cut the cable instead. Still he knew the importance of +having his anchor ready to drop, should he be unable to beach the boat +on his arrival at the spot he had selected, so again he tried, and up it +came. He quickly hauled it in, and running up his sail he sprang to the +tiller, hauling aft his main-sheet. + +Away flew the boat amid the tumbling seas, which came rolling in from +the westward. He held the sheet in his hand, for there was now as much +wind as the boat could look up to, and a sudden blast might at any +moment send her over. That, too, Michael knew right well. On she flew +like a sea-bird amid the foaming waves, now lifted to the summit of one, +now dropping down into the hollow, each sea as it came hissing up +threatening to break on board; now he kept away to receive its force on +his quarter; now he again kept his course. + +The huge Gull Rock rose up under his lee, the breakers dashing furiously +against its base; then Kynance Cove, with its fantastically-shaped +cliffs, opened out, but the sea roared and foamed at their base, and not +a spot of sand could he discover on which he could hope to beach his +boat, even should he pass through the raging surf unharmed. Meantale +Point, Pradanack, and the Soapy Rock appeared in succession, but all +threatened him alike with destruction should he venture near them. + +He came abreast of a little harbour, but he had never been in there, and +numerous rocks, some beneath the surface, others rising but just above +it, lay off its entrance, and the risk of running for it he considered +was too great to be encountered. Those on shore might have seen his +boat as she flew by, but, should they have done so, even the bravest +might have been unwilling to risk their lives on the chance of +overtaking her before she met that fate to which they might well have +believed she was doomed. + +Michael cast but a glance or two to ascertain whether any one was +coming; he had little expectation of assistance, but still his courage +did not fail him. + +The rocks were passed; he could already distinguish over his bow the +lighthouses on the summit of the Lizard Point. Again he kept away and +neared the outer edge of a line of breakers which roared fiercely upon +it. He must land there notwithstanding, or be lost, for he knew that +his boat could not live going through the race to the southward of the +Lizard. + +When off the Stags he could distinguish people moving along the shore. +He had been seen by them he knew, and perhaps a boat might be launched +and come to his rescue. There was no time, however, for consideration. +What he had to do must be promptly done. + +The water in the bay was somewhat smoother than it had hitherto been. +In a moment his sail was lowered and his anchor let go. The rain came +down heavily. + +"The wind is falling," he thought; "I will wait till the turn of the +tide, when, perhaps, there will be less surf on." + +He could see the people on the shore watching him, but no attempt was +made to launch a boat; indeed he knew that no boat could pass that +foaming barrier in safety. He sat down with folded arms, waiting the +progress of events. His mind was occupied for a time rather with those +at home than about himself; he thought of little Nelly and of Dame +Lanreath, and of the kind friend of his youth who had, though he knew it +not at that time, left this world of toil and trouble. He had a simple +faith in the merits of One Who had died for him, and he had perfect +trust, not in his own honesty and uprightness, but in the merits and +all-sufficient atonement of that loving Saviour Who died for him. He +could therefore, young as he was, calmly contemplate the probability of +being unable after all to reach the shore. Still he would not allow +himself to dwell long on that matter. + +He was soon aroused indeed to exertion by finding the seas breaking into +his boat. He bailed away as fast as they came on board. But he saw +that he must abandon all hope of remaining where he was. Should he stay +much longer the boat might be swamped; the surf, too, might increase, +and more effectually than at present bar his progress to the shore. +Another huge sea rolling in half filled his boat. Undaunted, he bailed +it out. A second of like size might sink her. + +Evening was coming on; he must dare the fearful passage through the +breakers, or perish where he was. He stood up, holding on to the mast, +that he might survey the shore. He was abreast of the best place for +landing, although he was convinced there were rocks to the north and +south of him, their black heads appearing every now and then amid the +snow-white foam. In a moment, should his boat touch them, they would +dash her to fragments. + +Promptly Michael made up his mind what to do. Hoisting his foresail he +carried the main-sheet aft, and felt that the tiller was securely fixed. +Taking out his knife, he held it in his teeth--he had sharpened it +afresh the previous evening. With one hand holding the main halyards, +with a stroke he severed the cable, then as the boat paid off up went +his mainsail and he sprang aft to the helm. The sheet was eased off. +The hissing seas followed fast astern. In another minute he would be +among the raging breakers, and then safe on shore, or, what was too +probable, whirled and tossed and tumbled over and over as he and the +fragments of his boat were carried back in their cruel embrace. + +Mr and Mrs Tremayne and their daughter had reached the little hotel at +the Lizard Head, when they heard that a small boat had been seen in a +fearfully perilous position anchored at a short distance outside the +breakers. They hastened down to the beach, where some of the +coast-guard men and several other persons were collected. + +They made inquiries as to the probability of the boat reaching the shore +in safety. + +"Not the slightest hope through such a surf as this," was the answer. + +"Who is on board?" asked Mr Tremayne. + +"It seems to be a young lad, as far as we can make out," said a +coast-guard man. "His best chance is to hold on till low water, when, +as there will be a pretty broad piece of sand, if the wind goes down, he +may happen to get in without being swamped." + +"But if the wind does not go down, and the weather still looks +threatening, what can he do?" + +"His fate will be that of many another poor fellow," said the man. "He +is a brave young chap, though, or he would not have brought up in the +way he did. I have not once seen him waving his arms or seeming to be +crying out for help, as most would be." + +"Can he be young Michael Penguyne, of whom we have just heard!" +exclaimed Mrs Tremayne. "Oh, can nothing be done to save him?" + +"Will none of you fine fellows launch a boat and go out and try and +bring in the boy?" asked Mr Tremayne. "I will give twenty pounds to +the crew of the boat which brings him in." + +"I am sorry, sir, that I cannot allow my men to go out," said the +officer of the coast-guard, who heard the offer made. "We should not +have waited for a reward if it could be done, but the best boat we have +would be swamped to a certainty, and the lives of all her crew +sacrificed. I much regret being compelled to say this; there is not a +man here who would not do his best to save the life of the lad if it +were possible." + +"Are none of the fishermen's boats better fitted for the purpose?" asked +Mr Tremayne. "I will give twenty-five pounds to the boat which saves +the lad. Surely if so small a boat as his can live, a large +fishing-boat would run but comparatively little risk." + +The officer explained that the danger would be incurred in passing +through the breakers, and that once outside, although the sea was very +heavy, a boat properly handled would keep afloat. + +"I have," he added, "sent to a little harbour to the north of this, but +the boats there are small, and I doubt whether any of the fishermen will +venture so near the breakers as that boat has brought up. I will, +however, send again with your generous offer, though some time must +elapse before a boat can be got ready, even if a crew can be found +willing to risk their lives in the service." + +"I will go myself to urge them to undertake it if you can devise no +other means of saving the lad," said Mr Tremayne. + +"The distance is considerable, and it will be night before you can reach +the place," answered the officer. "I would advise you, sir, not to make +the attempt. They will trust to my promise, as I will send one of my +own men." + +"Tell them you will give them twenty-five pounds if they will start at +once," exclaimed Mrs Tremayne, eagerly; "surely men will not stand +calmly by and allow the poor boy to perish in their sight." + +"I will do as you wish," answered the officer. + +Just as they were speaking, however, there was a cry from those looking +on. + +"He has cut his cable--he has hoisted his sail--he is going to venture +it," exclaimed several people simultaneously. + +The boat's head was turned towards the shore. Onward she came. Now she +rose to the summit of a huge wave, now plunged downwards. For an +instant the sail flapped, becalmed by another sea which rolled up +astern. + +A cry escaped the spectators: "She will be swamped! she will be +swamped!" + +But no; again the sail filled and on she came. The young boy was seen +seated in the stern of his boat grasping the tiller with one hand and +the main-sheet with the other. Over she heeled to the blast--again she +rose, and again sunk down, and now she was among the hissing, roaring, +foaming breakers. The waters bubbled up, tumbling into her on either +side; but still the boy held firm hold of his tiller. Again the sail +flapped--there was a sudden lull. + +"She is lost, she is lost!" was the cry. "The next sea must swamp her;" +but the wind came faster than the wave--the sail bulged out, and on she +flew. + +For another moment she seemed to hang in the midst of a breaker as it +rushed backwards from the shore, but another lifted her, and, carried +forward on its crest, she came like a thing of life escaping from her +savage pursuers towards the beach. + +A dozen stout hands, incited by the address of Mr Tremayne, rushed +forward to grasp the boat, regardless now of their own safety, for the +work was one of no little danger; ere they could seize the boat's +gunwale she might be dashed against them, or be swept out by the +receding wave as it went hissing backwards in a sheet of foam. But they +were well accustomed to the duty they had undertaken. + +Michael to the last kept his seat, steering his boat stem on to the +beach. As he felt the keel touch the sand he sprang forward and was +grasped by the sturdy arms of one of those who had gone to his rescue, +and carried in triumph out of the reach of the foaming breaker, which +came roaring up as if fierce at the escape of its prey. + +With difficulty those who had gone down to seize the boat made their way +after their companion, and she, before they could haul her up, was +thrown on the beach and rolled over and over with her sides crushed in. + +"Oh, the boat, the boat! what will poor father and those at home do?" +exclaimed Michael, as he saw what had happened. "I thought to have +saved her." + +"Never mind the boat," answered a stout lad, one of those who had gone +down to his rescue, wringing him by the hand. "We are right glad to +have you safe. I only got here just in time to see you standing for the +shore. I did not think you would reach it. I have been hunting for you +all along the coast, and made sure that you were lost." + +"Thank you, Eban," answered Michael, for it was Eban Cowan who spoke to +him. "But poor father will grieve when he hears the boat is lost after +all." + +"Thy father won't grieve for that or anything else, Michael," said Eban, +thoughtlessly; "he is dead." + +"Dead!" exclaimed poor Michael, grasping the arm of the man who had +brought him on shore, and who was still standing by him, and overcome by +the strain on his nerves, which he had hitherto so manfully endured, and +the sad news so abruptly given him, he would have fallen to the ground +had not the fisherman supported him. + +Mr Tremayne and his wife and daughter now came up. + +"Poor boy, it is not surprising that he should give way at last," +observed Mrs Tremayne. "We will have him carried to our inn, where he +can be properly attended to." + +Mr Tremayne agreed to her proposal, and, begging two of the stout +fishermen to carry the lad, he promised a reward to those who could +secure the boat and her gear. + +"That will be my charge," said the coast-guard officer. "But I am +afraid that the boat herself is a complete wreck, and that very little +of her gear will be saved." + +Michael, on being placed in a comfortable bed in the inn, soon returned +to consciousness, and was greatly surprised to find two kind-looking +ladies watching by his side. The younger one called her father from an +adjoining room. + +"You have had a hard tussle for your life; you behaved courageously, my +lad," observed Mr Tremayne, taking his hand. + +"I am thankful that God has spared my life," answered Michael in a low +voice, which showed how much his strength was prostrated. "But, O sir, +Eban told me that father is dead, and the boat is all knocked to pieces, +and what will Nelly and poor granny do? Next to God, they can only look +to the boat and me for help." + +"What! young as you are, do you expect to be able to support yourself +and those you speak of?" asked Mrs Tremayne. + +"Yes; father gave them into my charge, and if God had given me strength, +and the boat had been spared, I would have done my best." + +"We know Nelly and your granny, and more about you than you may +suppose," said Mrs Tremayne, kindly; "we paid them a visit to-day, and +heard of their loss. But set your mind at rest about your boat, we will +endeavour to obtain another for you, and help you in any other way you +may wish." + +Michael expressed his gratitude with an overflowing heart. A night's +quiet rest completely restored his strength, and, being eager to assure +Nelly and Dame Lanreath of his safety, after he had bade his new friends +good-bye he set off on his return home. + +Mrs Tremayne promised to have his boat looked after, and to pay him a +visit in the course of a day or two to arrange about the purchase of +another. + +On reaching home Michael found that Eban Cowan had been before him, and +given Nelly and her granny tidings of his safety. They had heard, +however, only of the loss of his boat, and had been naturally anxious at +the thoughts of what they should do without her. The news he brought +that he was to have a new one greatly revived their spirits. + +"God is indeed kind to us in sending us help in our time of need," said +Dame Lanreath. "O my children! never forget His loving-kindness, but +serve and obey Him as long as you live." + +Michael's grief was renewed as he went in to see the friend who had +acted the part of a father to him all his life; but happily deep grief +does not endure long in young hearts, and he now looked forward to Mr +Tremayne's promised visit. + +"I hope the young lady and her mother will come with him. O Nelly! she +looked like an angel as she watched by me, when I scarcely knew whether +I was alive or being knocked over and over in the breakers," he +observed. "For hours after I was safe on shore I had their sound in my +ears in a way I never knew before." + +Mr Tremayne came to the cottage just as Dame Lanreath, with Michael and +Nelly, had returned from attending the funeral of Paul Trefusis. It was +a calm and lovely day, and contrasted greatly with the weather which had +before prevailed. + +In the harbour, just below the cottage, lay a boat somewhat smaller than +the "Wild Duck," but nearly new, with freshly-tanned sails, and well +fitted in every respect. Mrs and Miss Tremayne were seated in it, with +two men who had rowed it round from the Lizard. + +Mr Tremayne invited the inmates of the cottage to come down and see it. + +"What do you think of her?" he asked, after they had greeted the two +ladies. + +"She is a handy craft, sir, and just suited for this place," answered +Michael. + +"I hope you will find her so," replied Mr Tremayne. "Here is a paper +which assigns her to you as her master, and if you will moor her fast +her present crew will leave her, as we purpose to continue our journey +by land, and have ordered the carriage to meet us at the top of the +hill." + +Michael was unable to express his gratitude in words. Dame Lanreath +spoke for him. + +"May God reward you and your wife and children for your kindness to the +orphans, and to an old woman who has well-nigh run her course on earth. +We were cast down, though we know that His mercy endureth for ever, and +you have lifted us up and shown us that He is faithful and never fails +to send help in time of need." + +Nelly took Miss Tremayne's hand, and, prompted by her feelings, kissed +it affectionately; but even she was for the moment unable to express her +feelings by words. + +"Thank you, sir, thank you," said Michael at last, as they went back. +"You have made a man of me, and I can now work for those who have to +look to me for support." + +"I hope you will have the strength, as I am sure you have the will, and +may God bless you, my lad," said Mr Tremayne, shaking him warmly by the +hand, for he was far more pleased with the few words Michael had uttered +than had he poured out his gratitude in measured language. As he and +the ladies proceeded up the pathway, Nelly ran into the cottage. She +soon again overtook them. + +"Will you please, miss, take these small shells?" she said; "they are +little worth, I fear, but I have nothing else to give which you might +wish to accept, and they may put you in mind of this place, and those +who will pray for you and bless your father and mother as long as they +live." + +Miss Tremayne, much pleased, thanked Nelly for her gift, and, assuring +her that she should never forget her or Michael and her granny, accepted +the gift. + +It is scarcely necessary to say that Michael spent a considerable +portion of the remainder of the day examining his new boat over and over +again, blessing the donor in his heart, and thankful that he should now +be able to support Nelly and her granny. + +Then the little family assembled in their sitting room, and offered up +their thanks to the merciful Being Who looked down upon them in their +distress. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +Michael Penguyne made ample use of his new boat. Nelly proposed that +she should be called the "Dove." + +"You see she was sent to us when all around seemed so dark and gloomy, +just as the dove returned to Noah, to show that God had not forgotten +him." + +"Then we will call her the `Dove'," said Michael; and the "Dove" from +henceforth became the name of Michael's new boat. + +Early and late Michael was in his boat, though he took good care not to +be caught to leeward of his port again by a gale of wind. When ashore +he was employed mending his nets and refitting his boat's gear or his +fishing-lines. Never for a moment was he idle, for he always found +something which ought to be done; each rope's-end was pointed; his +rigging was never chafed; and the moment any service was wanted he put +it on. + +Thus a couple of years passed by, Dame Lanreath and Nelly setting out +day after day to sell the fish or lobsters and crabs he caught, for +which they seldom failed to obtain a good price. + +At length, however, he found that he could do better with a mate. + +"I must get David Treloar, as I said some time ago," he observed to +Nelly. "He is twice as strong as I am, though it would not do to trust +him alone in a boat, as he never seems to know which way the wind is, or +how the tide is running; but he is honest and good-natured, and staunch +as steel, and he will do what I tell him. That's all I want. If he had +been with me in the little `Duck,' we might have gained the harbour and +saved her, and though I take all the care I can, yet I may be caught +again in the same way." + +David Treloar was a nephew of old Reuben Lanaherne, who had done his +best to bring up the poor lad, and make a fisherman of him. His father +had been lost at sea, and his mother had gone out of her mind, and soon +afterwards died. + +Michael found him near his uncle's house, attempting, though not very +expertly, to mend a net. + +He was a broad-shouldered, heavy-looking youth, with an expression of +countenance which at first sight appeared far from prepossessing; but +when spoken to kindly, or told to do anything he liked--and he was ready +to do most things--it brightened up, and even a stranger would have said +he was a trustworthy fellow, though he might be lacking in intelligence. + +"So glad you are come, Michael," he said. "Here have I been working +away at these meshes, and cannot make them come even; the more I pull at +them the worse they are. Just do you use your fingers and settle the +job for me, and I will do anything for you." + +"I know you will, David, and so I am pretty certain that you will come +and work in my boat." + +"What, this afternoon?" asked David. + +"No, but always. I want you to be my mate." + +"Hurra! hurra! that I will, lad, with all my heart. Uncle Reuben has +got enough lads of his own, he does not want me, and the rest are always +making fun at me; but you won't do that, Michael, I know. We will soon +show them that we can catch as many fish as they can, you and I +together; and uncle often says I am as strong as a grown man, and +stronger than many." And the young Hercules stretched out his brawny +arms. + +Michael had not expected to obtain a mate so easily, for David never +thought of making terms; provided he got food enough for the day, that +was all he thought about. Michael, however, intended to settle that +matter with Uncle Reuben. His wish was to act justly towards all men, +and pay David fully as much as he was worth. + +Able now to use his nets, Michael could look forward to the pilchard +season, when he might hope to reap a rich harvest from the sea. + +Soon after this he fell in with Eban Cowan. + +"So I see you have got that dolt David Treloar as your mate," observed +Eban. "If you had asked me, I would have advised you to take a chap +worth two of him. He is big and strong enough, but he has no sense. I +wonder, indeed, Michael, that you can go on year after year content to +catch a few fish and lobsters, when you might make no end of money and +live at home most days in the week enjoying your comfort and doing +nothing. Just see how father and I live. You don't suppose the mill, +and the fish, and our few acres of ground enable us to do that." + +"I don't ask how you get your living--I do not wish to interfere with my +neighbours; but I know that it is my duty to work hard every day that +the weather will let me," answered Michael. + +"That may be your taste; but I wonder you like to see Nelly wearing her +old frock and hood which have become far too small for her, and Aunt +Lanreath's old jacket and petticoat are well-nigh worn out." + +Michael acknowledged that such was the case, and observed that he hoped +they would soon get new garments. + +"You might get them at once if you will join us in our business," +answered Eban. "What with the fellows who have gone to sea, and some +few who have been taken and sent to prison, and those who have been +drowned or lost their lives in other ways, we have not as many men as we +want. There is good pay to be got, and other profits besides. You +would be perfectly safe, for you have a good character, and no one would +suspect you of being engaged in the free-trade service." + +"I tell you, Eban, once for all, I will have nothing to do with +smuggling," answered Michael, firmly. "You say no one will suspect me, +but you forget that God sees and hears everything we do, or say, or +think. Though my fellow-men might not suspect me, He would know that I +was engaged in unlawful work. Darkness is no darkness to Him. Day and +night to Him are both alike." + +"I don't let myself think about those sort of things," answered Eban +Cowan, in an angry tone. "I ask you again, will you be a sensible +fellow and unite with us as I have invited you?" + +"No, I will not," said Michael. "I do not wish to be unfriendly with +you, but when you ask me to do what I know to be wrong I cannot look +upon you as a friend." + +"Take your own way, then," exclaimed Eban, angrily. "You may think +better of the matter by-and-by: then all you have to do is to come to me +and say so." + +Eban and Michael parted for the time. The former, however, was a +constant visitor at Dame Lanreath's cottage. He did not disguise his +admiration for Nelly Trefusis. She might have been flattered, for he +was a good-looking, fair-spoken youth, and as he dressed well and had +always plenty of money in his pocket, he was looked upon as one of the +principal young men in the neighbourhood. + +Still Nelly did not consider him equal to Michael. + +Time went on: she was becoming a young woman, and Michael was no longer +the little boy she had looked upon in her early days as her brother. +He, too, had ceased to treat her with the affectionate familiarity he +used to do when he supposed her to be his sister. Still he looked upon +her as the being of all others whom he was bound to love, and protect, +and support to the utmost of his power. Had, however, any young man +whom he esteemed, and whom Nelly liked, appeared and offered to become +her husband, he would possibly have advised her to accept him, though he +might have felt that the light of his home had departed. Indeed, he was +so occupied that the thought of marrying at some future time had never +entered his head. + +Though Nelly gave Eban Cowan no encouragement, he still continued, +whenever he could get a fair pretence, to visit the cottage, and never +failed to walk by her side when he met her out. Generally he came +saying that he wished to see Michael, whom he always spoke of as his +most intimate friend, though Michael did not consider himself so. He +knew too much about Eban to desire his friendship; indeed, he doubted +very much that Eban really cared for him. + +"Your friend Eban has been here again to-day," said Nelly, one evening +when Michael returned home late. "He waited and waited, and though I +told him I could not say when you would come back, he still sat on, +declaring that he must see you, as he wanted you to go somewhere with +him, or do something, though what it was he would not tell us. At last, +as it grew dark, he was obliged to be off, and neither granny nor I +invited him to stay longer." + +"I am glad he did go," answered Michael; "but do not call him my friend. +If he was a true friend he would give me good advice and try to lead me +aright; instead of that he gives me bad advice, and tries to lead me to +do what I know is wrong. There--you now know what I think of Eban +Cowan." + +"And you think very rightly," observed Dame Lanreath. "I do not trust +him, and perhaps you know more about him and have greater reasons for +not liking him than I have." + +"Michael," said Nelly, looking up, "I will trust only those whom you +trust, and I do not wish to like any one whom you do not like." + +Still, although Nelly took no care to show any preference for Eban, it +was not in her heart to be rude or unkind to him; but Dame Lanreath +tried to make him understand that his visits were not wished for. He, +however, fancied that she alone did not like him, and still flattered +himself that he was making his way with Nelly. + +Thus matters went on month after month. Michael and David Treloar +succeeded together better even than at first expected. David was always +ready to do the hard work, and, placing perfect confidence in Michael's +skill and judgment, readily obeyed him. + +It was the height of summer-time. The pilchards in vast schools began +to visit the coast of Cornwall, and the fishermen in all directions were +preparing for their capture. The boats were got ready, the nets +thoroughly repaired, and corks and leads and tow lines and warps fitted. +_Huers_, as the men are called who watch for the fish, had taken their +stations on every height on the look-out for their approach. Each +_huer_ kept near him the "white bush," which is the name given to a mass +of furze covered with tow or white ribbons. This being raised aloft is +the sign that a school is in sight. The boats employed were of two +descriptions, the largest of from twenty to thirty tons, carrying seven +or eight men; and the smaller somewhat larger than the "Dove," having +only three or four men. + +Michael had succeeded in obtaining another hand, so that, small as his +boat was, he was fully able to take a part in the work. + +The pilchard belongs to the herring family, but is somewhat smaller, and +differs from that fish in external appearance, having a shorter head and +a more compact body; its scales, too, are rather longer than those of +the common herring. It is supposed to retire during the winter to the +deep water of the ocean, and to rise only as the summer approaches to +the surface, when it commences its travels and moves eastward towards +the English Channel. + +At first it forms only small bands, but these increase till a large army +is collected, under the guidance, it is supposed, of a chief. Onward it +makes its way, pursued by birds of prey who pounce down and carry off +thousands of individuals, whose loss, however, scarcely diminishes the +size of the mighty host. Voracious fish, too, pursue the army as it +advances in close columns, and swallow immense numbers. + +As it approaches the Land's End it divides, one portion making its way +northward along the west coast, while the other moves forward along the +south coast towards the Start. + +The huers can distinguish the approach of a school by a change in the +colour of the sea. As it draws near, the water appears to leap and boil +like a cauldron, while at night the ocean is spread over, as it were, +with a sheet of liquid light, brilliant as when the moonbeams play on +the surface rippled by a gentle breeze. + +From early dawn a number of boats had been waiting off the shore, +keeping their position by an occasional pull at the oars as necessity +required, with their nets ready to cast at a moment's warning. +Michael's boat was among them. He and his companions cast their eyes +constantly at the huers on the summit of the cliffs above, anxiously +expecting the signal that a school had been seen in the far distance. +But whether it would approach the shore near enough to enable them to +encircle it was uncertain. It might come towards them, but then it +might suddenly sweep round to a different part of the coast or dart back +again into deep water. Hour after hour passed by. + +The crews of the boats had their provisions with them, and no one at +that time would think of returning to the shore for breakfast or dinner. +They kept laughing and talking together, or occasionally exchanging a +word with those in the boats on either side of them. + +"I hope we shall have better luck than yesterday," said David Treloar. +"I had made up my mind that we should have the schools if they came near +us, and yet they got off again just at the time I thought we had them +secured." + +"You must have patience, David; trust to Him Who helped the fishermen of +Galilee when they had toiled all day and caught nothing," answered +Michael. "I do not see that we should expect to be better off than they +were; He Who taught the pilchards to visit our shores will send them +into our nets if He thinks fit. Our business is to toil on and to trust +to His kindness." + +"Ah, Michael! you are always right; I do not see things as clearly as +you do," said David. + +"If you do not, still you know that God cares for you as much as He does +for me or anyone else; and so do you trust to Him, and depend upon it +all will turn out right. That's what Uncle Paul used to say, and your +Uncle Reuben says." + +Michael had for some time past taken pains to let it be known that he +was not, as supposed to be, the son of Paul Trefusis, and had told all +his friends and acquaintances the history which Paul had given him. +Many of the elder people, indeed, were well acquainted with the +circumstances of the case, and were able to corroborate what he said. +Eban Cowan, however, had hitherto been ignorant of the fact, and had +always supposed that Michael was Nelly's brother. This had originally +made him anxious to gain Michael's friendship for her sake. Almost from +his boyhood he had admired her, and his admiration increased with his +growth, till he entertained for her as much affection as it was in his +nature to feel. + +No sooner was he aware of the truth than jealousy of Michael sprang up +in his heart, and instead of putting it away, as he ought to have done, +he nourished it till his jealousy grew into a determined and deadly +hatred of one whom he chose to consider as his rival. + +Michael, not aware of this, met him in the same frank way that he had +always been accustomed to do, and took no notice of the angry scowl +which Eban often cast at him. + +Eban on this occasion had command of his father's boat. He was reputed +to be as good and bold a fisherman as anyone on the coast. Michael did +not observe the fierce look Eban cast at him as they were shoving off in +the morning when the two boats pulled out of the harbour together side +by side. + +The boats had now been waiting several hours, and when the huers were +seen to raise their white boughs and point to a sandy beach to the north +of the harbour (a sign that a school of pilchards was directing its +course in that direction), instantly the cry of "_heva_" was raised by +the numerous watchers on the shore, and the crews of the boats, bending +to their oars, pulled away to get outside the school and prevent them +from turning back. + +Two with nets on board, starting from the same point, began quick as +lightning to cast them out till they formed a vast circle. + +Away the rowers pulled, straining their sinews to the utmost, till a +large circle was formed two thousand feet in circumference, within which +the shining fish could be seen leaping and struggling thickly together +on the surface. The seine, about twelve fathoms deep, thus formed a +wall beyond which the fish could not pass, the bottom being sunk by +heavy leads and the upper part supported by corks. In the meantime a +boat was employed in driving the fish towards the centre of the +enclosure, lest before the circle was completed they might alter their +course and escape. + +Although the fish were thus enclosed, their enormous weight would +certainly have broken through the net had an attempt been made to drag +them on to the beach. The operation was not yet over. Warping or +dragging them into shallow water had now to be commenced. Gradually the +circle was drawn nearer and nearer the shore, till shallow water was +reached. The seine was then moored, that is, secured by grappling +hooks. It had next to be emptied. In bad weather this cannot be done, +as the work requires smooth water. On the present occasion, however, +the sea was calm, and several boats, supplied with smaller nets and +baskets, entered the circle and commenced what is called _tucking_. The +small nets were used to encircle as many fish as they could lift, which +were quickly hauled on board in the ordinary way, while other boats +ladled the pilchards out of the water with baskets. As soon as a boat +was laden she returned to the shore by the only passage left open, where +men stood ready to close it as soon as she had passed. + +On the beach were collected numbers of women and lads, with creels on +their backs ready to be filled. As soon as this was done they carried +them up to the curing-house, situated on a convenient spot near the bay. +Among those on the beach were Dame Lanreath and Nelly, and as Michael +assisted to fill their creels he expressed his satisfaction at having +contributed so materially to the success of the undertaking, for his +boat had been one of the most actively employed. + +As all engaged in the operation belonged to the same company, they +worked with a will, each person taking his allotted duty, and thus doing +their utmost to obtain success. + +Some time was occupied in thus emptying the seine, for after the fish on +the surface had been caught many more which were swimming lower down and +making endeavours to escape, were obtained with the _tucking_ nets. The +whole net itself was then dragged up, and the remainder of the fish +which had been caught in the meshes, or had before escaped capture, were +taken out. + +Such is the ordinary way of catching the pilchard on the coast of +Cornwall with seines. + +The inhabitants of the village congratulated themselves on their +success. + +Often, as has been said, tucking has to be delayed in consequence of a +heavy sea for several days, and sometimes, after all, the fish have been +lost. + +"I mind, not long ago," observed Uncle Reuben, "when we were shooting a +net to the southward, it was caught by the tide and carried away against +the rocks, where, besides the fish getting free, it was so torn and +mangled that it took us many a long winter's evening to put to rights. +And you have heard tell, Michael, that at another time, when we had got +well-nigh a thousand pounds' worth of fish within our seine, they took +it into their heads to make a dash together at one point, and, capsizing +it, leaped clear over the top, and the greater number of them got free. +And only two seasons ago, just as we thought we had got a fine haul, and +the seine was securely moored, a ground swell set in from the westward, +where a heavy gale was blowing, and the net was rolled over and over +till every fish had escaped, and the net was worth little or nothing. +So I say we have reason to be thankful when we get a successful catch +like that we have had to-day." + +It was not, however, the only successful catch which Michael and his +companions made that season. Still, as his boat and net were but small, +his share was less than that of the rest of the company, and, after all, +his share was not more than sufficient for his expenses. + +A considerable number of the company were now employed in curing or +bulking the late catch of pilchards. This was carried on in a circular +court called a cellar. The fish which had been piled up within it were +now laid out on raised slabs which ran round the court. First a layer +of salt was spread, then a layer of pilchards, and so on, layers of +pilchards and salt alternating, till a vast mound was raised. Here they +remained for about a month or more. Below the slabs were gutters, which +conveyed the brine and oil which oozed out of the mass into a large pit +in the centre of the court. From three to four hundredweight of salt +was used for each hogshead. + +After they had remained in bulk for sufficient time the pilchards were +cleansed from the salt and closely packed in hogsheads, each of which +contains about 2,400 fish, and weighs about 476 pounds. The pressure to +which they are subjected forces the oil out through the open joints of +the cask. + +The pilchards are now familiarly called "fair maids," from _fermade_, a +corruption of _fumado_ (the Spanish word for _smoked_), as originally +they were cured by smoking, a method, however, which has long been +abandoned. + +No portion of the prize is lost; the oil and blood is sold to the +curriers, the skimmings of the water in which the fish are washed before +packing is purchased by the soap-boilers, and the broken and refuse fish +are sold for manure. The oil when clarified forms an important item in +the profit. + +The pilchards, however, are not always to be entrapped near the shore. +At most times they keep out at sea, where the hardy fishermen make use +of the drift-net. + +Two sorts of boats are employed for this purpose; one is of about thirty +tons burden, the other much smaller. They use a number of nets called +_a set_, about twenty in all, joined together. Each net is about 170 +feet long, and 40 deep. United lengthways they form a wall +three-quarters of a mile long, the lower part kept down by leads, the +upper floated on the surface by corks. Sometimes they are even much +longer. + +Within the meshes of this net the fish, as they swim rapidly forward, +entangle themselves. They easily get their heads through, but cannot +withdraw them, as they are held by the gills, which open in the water +like the barbs of an arrow. Their bodies also being larger than the +meshes, they thus remain hanging, unable to extricate themselves. + +The driving-boat is made fast to one end of the wall, where she hangs on +till the time for hauling the net arrives. + +The fishermen prefer a thick foggy night and a loppy sea, as under those +circumstances the pilchards do not perceive the net in their way. At +times, however, when the water is phosphorescent, the creatures which +form the luminous appearance cover the meshes so that the whole net +becomes lighted up. + +This is called "briming," and the pilchards, thus perceiving the trap in +their way, turn aside and escape its meshes. + +As briming rarely occurs during twilight, and the ocean is at that time +dark enough to hide the wall of twine, the fishermen generally shoot +their nets soon after sunset and just before dawn, when the fine weather +makes it probable that they will be lighted up by the dreaded briming at +the other hours of the night. + +The operation of hauling in nearly a mile of net, with its meshes full +of fish, is an arduous task, especially during a dark night, when the +boat is tossed about by a heavy sea, and at no time indeed can it be an +easy one. The hardy fishermen pursue this species of fishing during the +greater part of the year, for small schools of pilchards arrive in the +Channel as early as the month of May, and remain far into the winter, +till the water becomes too cool for their constitutions, when they +return eastwards to seek a warmer climate in the depths of the Atlantic, +or swim off to some unknown region, where they may deposit their spawn +or obtain the food on which they exist. Little, however, is known of +the causes which guide their movements, and the Cornish fishermen remain +satisfied by knowing the fact that the beautiful little fish which +enables them to support themselves and their families are sent annually +by their benignant Creator to visit their coasts, and seldom trouble +themselves to make any further inquiries on the subject. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +Two more years passed away--Nelly had become a pretty young woman, +modest and good as she was attractive in her personal appearance. She +had admirers in plenty besides Eban Cowan, who continued, as in his +younger days, to pay her all the attention in his power, and openly +declared to his companions his purpose of making her his wife. + +By this means he kept some at a distance who were afraid to encounter +him as a rival, for they well knew his fierce and determined +disposition, of which he had on several occasions given evidence. Every +one knew that he and his father were leagued with the most desperate +gang of smugglers on the coast, and two or three times when acting as +leader of a party he had had fierce encounters with the coast-guard, and +on each occasion by his judgment and courage had succeeded in carrying +off the goods which had been landed to a place of safety He frequently +also had made trips in a smuggling lugger, of which his father was part +owner, to the coast of France. He was looked upon as a hardy and expert +seaman, as well as a good fisherman. Had he, indeed, kept to the latter +calling, with the boats he owned he would have become an independent, if +not a wealthy man. But ill-gotten gains go fast, and in his smuggling +enterprises, though he was often successful, yet he lost in the end more +than he gained. + +Nelly, though flattered by the attention paid her, showed no preference +for any of her admirers. She had a good-natured word or a joke for all +of them, but always managed to make them hold their tongues when they +appeared to be growing serious. How she might have acted without the +sage Dame Lanreath to advise her, or had she not felt that she could not +consent to desert her and Michael, it is impossible to say. + +Michael had become a fine and active young man. As a sailor he was not +inferior to Eban. He had been able to support Nelly and her grandmother +in comfort, and to save money besides. He had invested his profits in a +share of Uncle Reuben's large fishing-boat, and was thus able to employ +himself in the deep-sea seine fishing for the greater part of the year, +as well as that of the inshore fishing which he had hitherto pursued. +His only regret was that it compelled him to be absent from home more +frequently and for longer periods, but then he had always the advantage +of returning to spend every Sunday with Nelly. + +Those Sundays were indeed very happy ones; he did not spend them in idle +sloth, but he and Nelly, accompanied by her grandmother, set off early +to worship together, never allowing either wind or rain to hinder them, +although they had several miles to go. On their return they spent the +remainder of the day in reading God's Word, or one of the few cherished +books they possessed. They had received some time back two or three +which were especially favoured, sent by Mrs and Miss Tremayne, with a +kind message inquiring after Michael and Dame Lanreath, and hoping that +the "Dove" had answered Michael's expectations and proved a good and +useful sea-boat. Nelly undertook to write a reply. + +"That she has, tell them," said Michael. "I often think, when I am at +work on board her, of their kindness, and what I should have done had +they and Mr Tremayne not given her to me." + +After this, however, they received no further news of their friends, and +though Nelly wrote to inquire, her letter was returned by the +post-office, stating that they had left the place. + +Refreshed by his Sunday rest, Michael went with renewed strength to his +weekly toil. + +Uncle Reuben's boat was called the "Sea-Gull." Michael was now +constantly on board her, as he had from his prudence and skill been +chosen as mate. When Reuben himself did not go out in her, he had the +command. + +The merry month of May had begun, the "Sea-Gull" was away with her +drift-nets. Reuben hoped to be among the first to send fish to the +Helston market. Dame Lanreath and Nelly, as well as several other +female members of Reuben's family, or related to his crew, were ready to +set off with their creels as soon as the boat returned. + +Nelly had gone as far as Uncle Reuben's house to watch for the +"Sea-Gull." She had not long to wait before she caught sight of the +little vessel skimming over the waters before a light nor'-westerly +breeze. It was the morning of the eighth of May, when the annual +festival of the Flurry was to be held at Helston. + +Although Nelly did not wish to take part in the sports carried on there, +still she had no objection to see what was going forward, and perhaps +Michael, contrary to his custom, would be willing to accompany her and +her granny. + +"He so seldom takes a holiday; but for this once he may be tempted to go +and see the fun," she thought. + +The "Sea-Gull" drew near, and Nelly knew her appearance too well to have +any doubt about her, even when she was a long way off. + +She now hurried home to tell Dame Lanreath, that they might be ready at +the landing-place to receive their portion of the vessel's cargo. + +The vessel was soon moored alongside the quay, when the creels were +quickly filled with fish. + +"If you will come with us to Helston, Michael, I will wait for you. +Granny will go on ahead and we can soon overtake her. Though you have +lived so near you have never seen a Flurry dance, and on this bright +morning there will sure to be a good gathering." + +"I care little for seeing fine folks dressed up in gay flowers and white +dresses, and dancing and jigging, especially as neither you nor I can +take a part in the fun," answered Michael. "I should like the walk well +enough with you, Nelly, but a number of congers and dog-fish got foul of +our nets and made some ugly holes in them, which will take us all day to +mend; it is a wonder they did not do more mischief. So, as I always put +business before pleasure, you see, Nelly, I must not go, however much I +might wish it." + +Nelly thought that David and others might mend the nets; but Michael +said that he and all hands were required to do the work, and that if he +did not stop and set a good example the others might be idle, and when +he got back in the evening it might not be done. So Nelly, very +unwillingly, was obliged to give up her scheme of inducing Michael to +take a holiday, and accompanied her granny as usual. + +Having left Michael's breakfast ready on the table, they set off. The +dame trudged along, staff in hand; her step was as firm as it had been +ten years before, though her body was slightly bent. Nelly walked by +her side, as she had done year after year, but she now bore her burden +with greater ease; and with her upright figure, and her cheeks blooming +with health, the two together presented a perfect picture of a fish-wife +and fish-girl. + +Dame Lanreath had promised, after they had sold the contents of their +creels, to wait some little time to see the Flurry dance and the gay +people who would throng the town. Nelly looked forward to the scene +with pleasure, her only regret being that Michael had been unable to +accompany her. + +They had gone some distance when they heard a rapid step behind them, +and Eban Cowan came up to Nelly's side. + +"I have been walking hard to overtake you, Nelly," he said, "for I found +that you had gone on. I suppose you intend to stay and see the gay +doings at Helston, and will not object to an escort back in the +evening?" + +"Granny proposes stopping for the Flurry dance, but we shall come away +long before it is dark, and as we know the road as well as most people, +we can find it by ourselves," answered Nelly, coldly. + +"You will miss half the fun, then," said Eban. "You must get your +granny to stop, or, if she will not, she cannot mind your remaining with +my sister and cousin, and I can see you and them home." + +"I cannot let my granny walk home by herself," answered Nelly; "and so, +Eban, I beg that you will not say anything more about the matter." + +Eban saw that it would not do just then to press the subject, and he +hoped that perhaps Nelly would lose sight of her grandmother in the +crowd, and that she would then be too glad to come back under his +charge. He had made up his mind to have a talk with her, and bring +matters to an issue; he did not suppose that she and Michael could care +much for each other, or he thought that they would have married long +ago, and so believed that he had a better chance than any one else of +winning Nelly Trefusis. + +He walked on, trying to make himself agreeable now saying a few words to +the dame, who generally gave him curt answers, and now addressing Nelly. +As he had plenty to say for himself, she could not help being amused, +and his conversation served to beguile the way over the somewhat dreary +country they had to pass till the neighbourhood of Helston was reached. + +He accompanied them in the ferry-boat which took them across to the town +on the other side of the shallow estuary or lake on which it is built. + +As they had now to go from house to house to sell their fish, he had to +leave them, believing, however, that he should have no difficulty in +finding them again when their creels were empty. + +The town was at that time quiet enough, for all the shops were closed, +and most of the young men and maidens, as well as large parties of +children, had gone into the surrounding woods to cut boughs and gather +wild flowers. + +The housewives, however, were eager to purchase their fresh-caught +pilchards, to make into huge pasties, which, with clotted cream, forms +the favourite Cornish dish. + +They had already disposed of a considerable portion of their freight, +when they saw a large party approaching along the principal +thoroughfare. It consisted of a number of young people, boys and girls, +their heads decked with wreaths of flowers, and holding in their hands +green boughs, which they waved to and fro as they advanced, singing-- + + "Once more the merry month of May + Has come, and driven old winter away; + And so as now green boughs we bring, + We merrily dance and merrily sing. + No more we dread the frost and snow, + No more the winter breezes blow; + But summer suns and azure skies + Warm our hearts and please our eyes. + And so we dance and so we sing, + And here our woodland trophies bring; + Hurra, hurra, hurra, hurra! + What can with our Flurry dance compare?" + +Thus the merry party went dancing and singing through the town, every +one running out from their houses to greet and applaud them. + +A large number of carriages and vehicles of all sorts now appeared, +conveying the inhabitants of the surrounding district, who came in +summer attire, decked with spring flowers, preceded by a band of music. + +They all assembled before the Town Hall, when the Flurry dance +commenced. Rows of ladies and gentlemen formed opposite each other, +then, moving forward, they set to each other in couples, and proceeded +thus, dancing and singing, down the streets. Garden-gates stood open, +and many of the doors of the larger houses. Through them the dancers +entered, continuing their evolutions up and down the gravel walks and +through the halls, all ranks and classes mingling together. All seemed +in good humour; in spite of the exercise they were taking, none appeared +fatigued or willing to stop. + +The Flurry tune which was played is a peculiar one, evidently of great +antiquity, and probably the custom had its origin as far back as the +feast of Flora, when pagan rites were performed in the country, or, +perhaps, it originally was instituted to celebrate a victory over the +Saxons; or it may be a remnant of some old Celtic observance. + +Few of those who took part in it cared much about its origin. The young +people enjoyed the amusement of dancing and singing, and their elders +their holiday and relaxation from business. + +Dame Lanreath and Nelly had disposed of all their fish before the Flurry +dance began; they thus had ample time to watch what was going forward, +Nelly kept close to her grandmother, although she met several of her +acquaintances, who stopped to have a talk, and she might easily, had she +not been on the watch, have lost her in the crowd. + +In the evening the grander people were to have a ball at the Town Hall; +but as the dame and Nelly took no interest in watching the ladies in +their gay dresses stepping from their carriages, they, having seen +enough of the Flurry dance to satisfy their curiosity, set out in +company with several of their friends on their walk homeward. + +They were just leaving the town, when Eban Cowan overtook Nelly, who was +in company with another girl a short distance behind Dame Lanreath. + +"Nelly," said Eban, "I was in a great fright lest I should miss you. +You are going away without seeing half the fun of the day; the people +are only just getting into the spirit of the dance. I wanted you to +take off that creel and have a turn with me. Among all the fine ladies +there is not one can compare with you for beauty in my eyes, and many a +lad there would have been jealous of me, in spite of the white dresses +and bright flowers of the girls." + +Nelly laughed, thinking that Eban was joking. Her companion, who +believed the common report, that Eban Cowan was an admirer of Nelly +Trefusis, and that she encouraged him, dropped behind and joined another +party, and Eban and Nelly were left alone. + +He at once changed his tone, which showed that he was deeply in earnest. + +"Nelly," he said, "I have sought you for long years, and however others +may admire you, they cannot care for you as I do--my love surpasses +theirs a hundredfold. I can give you a comfortable home, and make you +equal to any of the fine ladies we have been watching to-day. You need +no longer carry that creel on your back, and slave as you have been +doing, if you will become my wife. I tell you that I love you more than +life itself, and ask you, will you marry me?" + +Nelly would willingly have stopped Eban from talking on, but had +hitherto been unable to get in a word. + +"I have known you, Eban Cowan, since I way a girl, but I have never for +one moment encouraged you to suppose that I would become your wife, and +I now say positively that I cannot and will not. I thank you for all +you have said to me, though I would rather you had left it unsaid; and I +would wish to be friendly, as we have always been," she answered, +firmly. + +"Is that the only answer you can give me?" exclaimed Eban. + +"I can give no other," replied Nelly. + +"Do you never intend to marry, then?" asked Eban. + +"I am not compelled to tell you my intentions," said Nelly. + +"Do you love any one else? because I shall then know how to act," +exclaimed Eban. + +Nelly thought for a moment. "I will tell him; it will be the kindest +thing to do, as he will then understand that I can never marry him, and +wisely seek another wife." + +"Yes, Eban Cowan, I do love another," she said, in a low voice. "I love +Michael Penguyne, and can be no other man's wife than his. You have +long called him your friend; let him be your friend still, but give up +all thoughts of me." + +"I now know how to act," muttered Eban, gloomily. "I had no idea that +you cared for him; and if you choose to become a poor fisherman's wife, +you must follow your own course; only, do not suppose that I can cease +to love you." + +"I cannot listen to what you say," exclaimed Nelly, walking on rapidly, +and feeling very indignant at Eban's last remark. + +He did not attempt to follow her, and she soon overtook Dame Lanreath +and the friends who were accompanying her. When she looked round, Eban +had disappeared. She felt greatly relieved at having got rid of him, +and she hoped that, notwithstanding what he had said, he would abandon +all hopes of becoming her husband. + +Eban went home by another path, muttering fiercely that he would not be +balked, and that Michael should pay dearly for coming between him and +the girl he loved. + +People little know, when they give way to their unbridled passions, into +what crimes they may be led. + +Day after day Eban Cowan pondered over his rejection by Nelly, and chose +to consider himself especially ill-treated. + +"She should have let me know years ago that she intended to marry that +fellow. How can she think of preferring him, a poor, hard-working lad, +to me?" he exclaimed; and dreadful thoughts came into his mind. He made +no attempt to drive them from him. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +The autumn was drawing on. The pilchard harvest had not been as +successful as the fishermen desired, and they kept their boats at sea in +the hopes of obtaining a share of the schools of fish which still +hovered off their coasts. The drift-nets now could only be used with +any prospect of success, and Michael was as active and energetic as +ever. He had, indeed, greater reason for working hard, as Nelly had +promised to become his wife in the ensuing spring. He wished to make +every preparation in his power that she might begin her married life +with as much comfort as a fisherman's wife could hope to do. + +"Only we must look after granny too, and try to save her the long +trudges she has had to make; and repay her, though that would be a hard +matter, for all the care she took of us when we were young," he observed +to Nelly, as they were talking over their future prospects. + +Nelly heartily agreed with him; but when Dame Lanreath heard of their +intentions, she laughed at the notion of giving up her daily walks to +market. + +"More reason for Nelly to stay at home to look after the house. Wait a +bit till my limbs grow stiffer than they are as yet, and till she has +got a little damsel of her own to trot alongside her as she used to trot +alongside me," she answered. + +"But, granny, I have been thinking of getting little Mary Lanaherne, +Uncle Reuben's granddaughter, to go to market with me while you stay at +home; she is quite ready to agree to my plan," said Nelly. + +"Ah, I see you want to become a fine lady now you are going to marry, +and have an attendant of your own," said the dame, laughing. "Bide a +bit till you have need of help, and let my old limbs wag on while they +have life in them." + +"That will be for many years to come, I hope, granny," said Michael; +"and to my eyes you don't seem to have become a day older since I first +remember you, and that's longer than I can remember anything else; for I +mind you holding me in your arms when father came home one day and gave +me a fish to play with." + +"That was a good bit ago, Michael, to be sure, and I should not like to +have to lift you up now, lad, strong as my arms still are," answered the +old dame, looking approvingly at the fine manly young fisherman as he +stood before her. Nelly, too, gave him a glance of tender affection, +and all three laughed merrily. Their hearts were light, for though +theirs was a life of toil they willingly undertook their daily tasks, +and were thankful for the blessings bestowed on them. + +"It is time for me to be off," said Michael; "Uncle Reuben stays on +shore this evening, so I am to act captain. We shall be back, I hope, +soon after ten, as he always wishes us to be home early on Saturday +night, and as the weather looks pretty thick, and there is a nice lop of +a sea on, we may expect to get a good haul." + +Michael kissed Nelly's clear brow, and bestowed his usual "buss," as he +called it, on granny's withered cheek; then shouldering his oilskin +coat, he took his way towards the landing-place at the mouth of the +harbour. + +David and the rest of his crew were sitting about on the rocks with +their short pipes in their mouths in readiness to go on board. Uncle +Reuben had come down to see them off, and seemed half inclined to +accompany them. + +"If it were not for these aches in my back and sides, and that I +promised my dame to stay on shore this evening, I would go with you, +lads. But keep your weather eyes open. I cannot say I quite like the +look of the weather. It may turn out fine, but it is very thick away to +the southward." + +"It will be fine enough for what we want, Uncle Reuben, and the +`Sea-Gull' does not mind a bit of a swell and a stiffish breeze, and we +shall be back again almost before there is time to send a second hand to +the bellows," answered Michael. + +"God go with you, lads," said the old fisherman as the lads sprang on +board. "If the weather gets worse, haul your nets and make the best of +your way back. We will keep the light burning on the point, so that you +will not miss your road into harbour at all events." + +The "Sea-Gull" was shoved off, the oars got out, and, with her attendant +drift-boat towing ahead, her hardy crew soon swept her out of the +harbour. Her tanned sails were then hoisted, and, close-hauled, she +stood away to beat up to her intended fishing-grounds some distance to +the southward, off the Gull Rock. + +The old fisherman stood watching her for some time, more than once +saying to himself, "I wish that I had gone, the trip would not have hurt +me; but Michael is a careful lad, and, even if the weather does come on +bad, he will not risk staying out longer than is prudent." + +Bad, indeed, there shortly appeared every probability of the weather +becoming. Dark green seas came rolling in crested with foam, and +breaking with increasing loudness of sound on the rocky shore; the wind +whistled and howled louder and louder. + +Uncle Reuben buttoned up his coat to the chin as he gazed seaward. At +last his daughter came to call him in to tea. + +"Mother says you will be making yourself worse, father, standing out in +the cold and damp." + +He obeyed the summons; still he could not help every now and then +getting up and going to the door to see what the weather was like; each +time he came back with a less favourable report. + +As it grew dark, in spite of his dame's expostulations he again went out +and proceeded to the point, where he was also joined by three or four +men, who had come either to attend to the beacon which was kept burning +on dark nights, or to look out for the fishing-boats which they expected +would at once return in consequence of the bad weather which had now in +earnest set in. + +As soon as Michael had left his home, a young girl, the child of a +neighbour who lived further up the harbour in the direction of the mill, +came running to the cottage, saying that her mother was taken ill, and +that as her father and brothers were away fishing, there was no one to +stay with her while she went to call for the doctor. + +Nelly at once offered to go and stay with the poor woman, and to do her +best. + +"No, I will go," said Dame Lanreath; "maybe I shall be able to tell what +is best to be done as well as the doctor himself. Do you run on, Nancy, +and I will come and look after your mother." + +As the dame was not to be contradicted, Nelly continued the work in +which she was engaged, and her grandmother set off with active steps +towards her neighbour's cottage. + +Nelly had not been long alone when she heard a hasty footstep +approaching. The door opened, and Eban Cowan stood before her. A dark +frown was on his brow, his eyes she thought had a wild and fierce +expression she had never before seen them wear. Her heart sank within +her, and she in vain tried to speak in her usually friendly tone. + +"Good evening, Eban; what brings you here at this hour?" she said, on +seeing him stand gazing at her without uttering a word. + +"Nelly, I have come to ask you a question, and as you answer it you will +make me more happy than I have been for many a long day, or you will +send me away a miserable wretch, and you will never, it may be, see me +again." + +"I shall be sorry not to see you again, Eban, for we have been friends +from our earliest days, and I hoped that we should always remain so," +answered Nelly, mustering all the courage she possessed to speak calmly. + +"That is what drives me to desperation," he exclaimed. "Nelly, is it +true that you are going to marry Michael Penguyne?" + +"I hope so, if it is God's will, as you ask me to tell you," said Nelly, +firmly. "I fancied that you were his friend, as you always were mine. +And, Eban, I pray that you may not feel any ill-will towards either of +us, because we love each other, and are sure we shall be happy +together." + +"Is that the only answer you have to give me?" exclaimed Eban, hoarsely. + +"I can say nothing more nor less," said Nelly, gently. "I am very sorry +that my answer should make you unhappy, but you insisted on having it, +and I can say nothing more." + +Eban gazed at her for a moment, and appeared to be about to utter a +threat, but he restrained himself, and turning hastily round rushed out +of the cottage. + +She was thankful that he had gone, yet a feeling of undefined fear of +what he might do in his present angry mood stole over her. She was well +aware of his fierce and daring character, and she had heard from her +granny of desperate deeds done by men whose addresses had been rejected +by girls whom they professed to love. + +She earnestly wished that the dame would soon come back, that she might +tell her what had occurred and consult what was best to be done. + +Had Nelly known what was passing in the dark mind of Eban Cowan she +would indeed have had cause for alarm. + +Instead of going homewards he proceeded down towards the mouth of the +harbour. On turning the point he scanned the spot where the +fishing-vessels lay at anchor, and observed that the "Sea-Gull," among +others, was away. + +"She will be back early to-night," he muttered, "and Michael will pass +this way homeward by himself, but his home he shall never reach, if I +have my will. I am not going to let him come between me and the girl I +have all my life intended to marry; he has no right to her: she is too +good for a poor hard-working fisherman like him, and he will make her +drudge all the best days of her life. If he were out of the way she +would soon come round and look on me as she used to do." + +Much more to the same effect he thought, working himself up to do, +without compunction, the fearful act he meditated. + +The pathway between the quay at the mouth of the harbour, where the +fishing-vessels landed their cargoes, and Michael's house, at one place +between the cliffs and the water, became so narrow that two people could +with difficulty pass each other. Close to this spot, however, there +existed a hollow in the rock, in which a person standing was completely +concealed, especially on a dark night, when it might be passed by +without discovering that any one was within. + +Eban Cowan stood for some time watching the distant horizon, and as the +evening drew on he observed through the gloom two or three fishing-boats +running under close-reefed sails for the harbour's mouth. + +"One of those is the `Sea-Gull'; I must not be seen in the +neighbourhood, or I may be suspected," he muttered, taking his way +towards the lurking-place from which he intended to rush out and commit +the crime he meditated. + +Satan, ever ready to encourage those who yield to his instigations, +persuaded him that he could do the deed without being discovered, and +again and again he thought of the happiness he should enjoy with the +pretty Nelly as his wife, as if the soul guilty of the blood of a +fellow-creature could ever enjoy happiness! + +There he stood listening amid the roar of the fast-rising gale for the +step of his victim. Suddenly he thought-- + +"But suppose she hates me, I shall have done a deed and gained nothing. +She may suspect that I did it. Why did I madly go and see her this +evening? I had not intended to enter the cottage. Had the dame not +gone away I should not have thought of it. Still, neither she nor any +one else can swear that I am guilty. No eye will see me. The path is +slippery: it will be supposed that he fell into the water." Then at +that moment a voice seemed to whisper to him the words Michael had +uttered long before, "God sees and hears and knows everything we do or +say or think." It seemed to be that of Michael, "The darkness is no +darkness to Him; the day and night to Him are both alike." + +"Oh, He sees me now; He knows what I am thinking of." + +The strong, daring smuggler trembled. + +"I cannot do it; miserable I may be, but I should be more miserable +still if I had it ever present to my mind that I had killed in cold +blood another man who never wished to offend me." + +He rushed from his concealment and threw the weapon he had hitherto +clutched in his hand far away into the water. + +He was hurrying homewards, when he heard shouts coming up from the +harbour's mouth. He caught the sounds; they were cries, for hands to +man a boat. + +Constitutionally brave, he was ready at that moment for any desperate +service. He wanted something to drive away the fearful thoughts which +agitated his mind; he dreaded being left to himself; he must be actively +engaged or he should go mad, if he was not mad already. + +He hurried to the quay, alongside which a boat, kept ready for +emergencies, was tossing up and down; she was not a life-boat, but still +one well fitted to encounter heavy seas, and was used to go off to +vessels which had got embayed or ran a risk of being driven on shore. + +"I am ready to go off, if you want another hand," he exclaimed. + +"You will do, and welcome. Our number is now made up," answered Uncle +Reuben, who was seated in the stern of the boat. + +Eban leaped in. + +"Whereabouts is the vessel in danger?" he asked. "I could not make her +out." + +"She is my craft, the `Sea-Gull,'" said Uncle Reuben. "The `Favourite,' +which has just come in, saw her driving, with her mast gone, towards the +Gull Rock, and if she strikes it there is no chance for her or the poor +fellows on board. Lord be merciful to them! we must do our best to try +and save them, for no craft under sail will dare to stand near them, for +fear of sharing their fate." + +Eban knew that Michael had gone away in the "Sea-Gull." Should he risk +his life to try and save that of his rival? He felt inclined to spring +on shore again. The next instant Uncle Reuben gave the order to get out +the oars. + +Once actively engaged Eban no longer wished to quit the boat, but the +wild thought rose in his mind that Michael might be lost, and then, his +rival removed, that Nelly would become his. + +In his selfishness he did not consider the grief she whom he professed +to love would suffer; he, at all events, would not have inflicted it. +He had not committed the crime he meditated, and yet might gain the +object of his wishes. + +Nelly had been anxiously waiting the return of Dame Lanreath; she was +greatly agitated by Eban's visit--unable to overcome the fear that he +might do something desperate, but what that might be she could not tell. + +She frequently went to the door to see if her granny was coming. + +The night drew on, the fury of the storm increased. She thought of +Michael on the raging ocean engaged in hauling in his nets. The +"Sea-Gull" would surely not remain out long in such weather; the +fishing-vessels ought to be back by this time. She longed to run down +to the harbour's mouth to ascertain if they had returned; then her +granny might come in, and, finding her gone, not know what had become of +her. The thought, too, that she might meet Eban in his angry mood +restrained her. + +"Oh, what is going to happen?" she exclaimed, feeling more anxiety and +alarm than she had ever before experienced. "O my dear, dear Michael, +why don't you come back to me? O merciful God, protect him!" She fell +on her knees, hiding her face in her hands, and prayed for the safety of +him who was on the foaming waters. + +She thought she heard her granny coming. She rose from the ground and, +going to the door, looked out. No one was there; she heard the roaring +of the breakers on the rocky coast, and the fierce wind howling up the +wild glen, making the surface of the harbour bubble and hiss and foam, +and sending the spray, mingled with the cold night wind, high up, even +to where she stood. + +"I must go and learn why he does not come," she exclaimed. "Oh, how I +wish granny would come back! she may suffer harm coming along the rough +path this bleak night in the dark." + +Poor Nelly felt in truth forlorn; but hers was a brave heart, which a +fisherman's wife needs must have, or she could not endure the agitating +suspense to which she must day after day throughout her life he exposed, +when the tempest howls and the wild waves roar. She went in and put on +her hood and cloak. In vain she strove to restrain her agitation. +Again she went to the door. She thought she saw through the thick gloom +a figure approaching. + +"Is that you, dear granny?" she cried out. + +"Ay, Nelly, though I have had a hard battle with the wind," answered +Dame Lanreath, in her usually cheery voice. "But my journey is ended, +and it was well I went to poor Polly Penduck when I did, for she was in +a bad way; the doctor, however, has been with her, and she is all right +now." + +Nelly had run forward to lead her grandmother into the house, and she +spoke the latter words on her way. + +"Why, my child, what is the matter with you?" exclaimed the dame, as she +saw her pale and agitated countenance. + +Before Nelly could answer, footsteps were heard outside. She hurried +back to the door. + +"Oh! can it be Michael coming?" exclaimed Nelly. "Michael, Michael, are +you there?" + +"No, we be Paul and Joseph Penduck," answered two young voices. "We are +on our way home to mother." + +"Your mother is well and sleeping, but do not make a noise, lads, when +you go in," exclaimed Dame Lanreath, who had followed Nelly to the door. +"Why are you in such a hurry?" + +"We needs be to get out of the storm, dame," answered one of the boys. +"Father told us to make haste home; but he has gone off in the `Rescue' +with Uncle Reuben Lanaherne to look after the `Sea-Gull,' which they say +has lost her mast, and was seen driving on the Gull Rock; there is +little hope of any of the poor lads escaping aboard her." + +"What is that you say," shrieked poor Nelly; "the `Sea-Gull' driving on +shore?" + +"I forgot, Mistress Nelly, that Michael Penguyne was aboard her," +answered the thoughtless boy. "I would not have said it to frighten you +so, but it may be father and the others will find them if they are not +all drowned before they get there." + +"O granny, I was afraid something dreadful was happening," exclaimed +Nelly, gasping for breath. "I must go down to the harbour's mouth. I +do not mind the wind and rain; don't stop me, granny," for Dame Lanreath +had taken Nelly's arm, thinking she was about to fall, she trembled so +violently. "Let me go, granny, that I may hold him in my arms, and warm +him, and breathe into his mouth when he is brought on shore. Oh, I +shall die if I stay at home, and he out struggling maybe for life in the +cold foaming seas." + +"But the lads may be mistaken, dear Nelly," urged Dame Lanreath; "it may +not be the `Sea-Gull' that has met with the damage, and if she has +Michael and the rest, who are stout lads and know how to handle her, +they may manage to keep her off the rocks, and get in safe +notwithstanding." + +Nelly, however, was not to be reasoned with. She knew the way to the +harbour's mouth in the darkest night as well as by daylight; the rain +and wind were nothing to her, and if Michael had got safe on shore her +anxiety would the sooner be set at rest, and she should be ready to +welcome him. + +The dame, finding that she could not persuade Nelly to remain at home, +insisted on accompanying her, for though she had tried to make her +believe that Michael would return in safety, she herself could not help +entertaining the fear that he had shared the fate of the many she had +known in her time who had lost their lives on the treacherous ocean. + +Nelly was not selfish, and though she felt that she must go forth, she +was anxious that her granny should not again face the cruel storm. The +dame, however, was determined to go, for she felt scarcely less anxiety +than Nelly. + +"Well, Nelly," she said at length, "if you won't let me go with you, I +will just go by myself, and you must stay at home till I come back and +tell you that Michael has got on shore all safe." + +Nelly yielded. She and the dame set off. + +They had a fierce battle to fight with the storm, which blew directly in +their faces. They worked their way onwards, holding their cloaks tight +round them. + +They at last reached the rocky point where, by the light of the beacon, +they saw a group of men and women and boys and girls collected, with +their gaze turned seaward, waiting anxiously for the appearance of the +boat which had gone out over the dark and troubled ocean in search of +their missing friends. + +The dame and Nelly anxiously inquired what had happened. The answer +made their hearts sink: the "Sea-Gull" had last been seen driving +towards the rocks in an almost helpless condition; she might drop an +anchor, but there was little expectation that it would hold. The only +hope was that she might be reached before she was finally dashed to +pieces, and those on board her had perished. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +The "Rescue" gallantly made her way amid the dark foam-crested seas, +which rolled in from the westward, each appearing heavier than its +predecessor. + +Uncle Reuben kept gazing out ahead in anxious search of his little +vessel, now encouraging his crew with the hopes that they would soon +reach the spot which she must have reached, feeling his own heart, +however, sink within him as he sought in vain to find her across the +wildly tossing waters. The men needed no encouragement: they knew as +well as he did that every moment was precious, and yet that after all +they might arrive too late. Eban pulled as hard as the rest; he would +do his utmost to save the crew of the "Sea-Gull," yet he darkly hoped +that their efforts might be vain. + +On they pulled; often Reuben had to turn the boat's head to breast a +threatening sea which, caught on the broadside, might have hurled her +over. Now again he urged his crew to redoubled efforts during a +temporary lull. + +For some time he had been silent, keeping his eye on a dark spot ahead. +It must be the "Sea-Gull." She was already fearfully near the rocks. +The water there was too deep to allow her anchor to hold long, if +holding it was at all. Another fierce wave came rolling towards them. +Eager as Uncle Reuben was to make his way onward, he was compelled to +put the boat's head towards it, and to give all his attention to avoid +being buried beneath the foaming billows. The boat rose safely to its +summit. A glance seaward told him that now was the time once more to +make way to the south. He looked eagerly for his little vessel; the +same sea had struck her. He caught but one glimpse of her hull as she +was dashed helplessly against the rocks. Still some of those on board +might escape. Every effort must be made to save them. Though Reuben +told his crew what had happened, none hesitated to pull on. + +The boat approached the rock, her crew shouted to encourage those who +might be clinging to it. + +The "Sea-Gull" had struck on the northernmost point, within which the +sea, though surging and boiling, was comparatively quiet; and Reuben was +thus enabled to get nearer to the rock than he could have ventured to do +on the outside, where it broke with a fury which would quickly have +overwhelmed the boat. + +Two men were distinguished through the gloom clinging to the rock, at +the foot of which fragments of the hapless "Sea-Gull" were tossing up +and down in the foaming waves. Another sea such as that which wrecked +their vessel might at any moment wash the men from their hold. A rope +was hove to them, they fastened it round their waists and were dragged +on board. They proved to be Reuben's two sons. + +The father's heart was relieved, but he thought of his brave young +captain. + +"Where is Michael, where are the rest?" he exclaimed. + +"Gone, gone, father, I fear!" was the answer. + +"No, no! I see two more clinging to a spar!" shouted one of the men. +"The sea is carrying it away, but the next will hurl it back on the +rocks, and Heaven protect them, for the life will be knocked out of +their bodies." + +To approach the spot in the boat, however, was impossible without the +certainty of her being dashed to pieces. + +"Here, hand the bight of the rope to me," shouted Eban, starting up; "I +am the best swimmer among you--if any one can save them I can." + +As he uttered the words he sprang overboard, and with powerful strokes +made his way towards the drowning men, while the rest, pulling hard, +kept the boat off the rocks, to which she was perilously near. + +"Here, here, take him, he is almost gone," said one of the men in the +water, as Eban approached them. "I can hold on longer." + +Eban, grasping the man round the waist and shouting to those in the +boat, was hauled up to her stern with his burden. Reuben, assisted by +the man pulling the stroke oar, lifted the rescued man into the boat, +and Eban once more dashed off to try and save the other. + +"Who is it? who is it?" asked the crew, with one voice, for the darkness +prevented them from distinguishing his countenance. + +No one replied. Reuben hoped it might be Michael--but all his attention +was required for the management of the boat, and the rescued man, +exhausted, if not severely injured, was unable to reply himself. + +Eban was gallantly striking out towards the man who still clung to the +spar, but he had miscalculated his strength--he made less rapid way than +at first. A cry reached him, "Help, mate! help!" He redoubled his +efforts; but before he could reach the spot he saw a hand raised up, and +as he grasped the spar he found that it was deserted. The brave fellow, +whoever he was, had sacrificed his own life to save that of his drowning +companion. + +Eban, feeling that his own strength was going, shouted to those in the +boat to haul him on board, and he was himself well-nigh exhausted when +lifted over the side. One of Reuben's sons took his oar. + +All further search for their missing friends proved in vain, and though +thankful that some had been saved, with sad hearts they commenced their +perilous return to the harbour. + +Reuben's younger son, Simon Lanaherne, had gone aft and sat down by the +side of the rescued man. + +"He is coming to, I believe." + +"Which of the poor lads is he, Simon?" asked his father. + +Simon felt the man's face and dress, bending his head down to try and +scan his features. + +"I cannot quite make out; but I am nearly sure it is Michael Penguyne," +answered Simon. + +"I am main glad if it be he, for poor Nelly's sake," said Reuben. "Pull +up your starboard oars, lads, here comes a sea," he shouted, and a +tremendous wave came curling up from the westward. + +The attention of every one was engaged in encountering the threatened +danger. + +"Michael Penguyne! have I saved him?" muttered Eban Cowan, with a deep +groan. "He was destined to live through all dangers, then, and Nelly is +lost to me. Fool that I was to risk my life when I might have lot him +drown. No one could have said that I was guilty of his death." + +Human ear did not listen to the words he uttered, and a voice came to +him, "You would have been guilty of his death if you could have saved +him and would not." + +He had recovered sufficiently to sit up, and, as he gazed at the angry +sea around, his experienced eye told him that even now he and all with +him might be engulfed beneath it ere they could reach the shore. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Nelly and her grandmother stood with the group of anxious watchers near +the beacon-fire, straining their eyes in a vain endeavour to pierce the +gloom which hung over the ocean. They could hear the sea's savage roar +as it lashed the rocks at their feet and sent the spray flying over +them; but they could only see the white crests of the waves as they rose +and fell, and every instant it seemed to their loving hearts that these +fierce waves came in with greater force than heretofore. + +Could the "Rescue," stout and well-formed as she was, live amid that +fierce tumult of waters? Might not those who had bravely gone forth to +save their fellow-creatures, too probably perish with them? + +Still, notwithstanding their fears, they listened hoping to hear the cry +which those in the boat would raise as they drew near the shore, should +success have attended their efforts. Again and again they asked each +other, if the boat would not now be returning? Oh! how long the time +seemed since they went away! A short half-hour had often sufficed to go +to the Gull Rock and back. An hour or more had elapsed since the +"Rescue" left the harbour, and no sign of her could be discerned. + +"We must take into account the heavy seas she will have to meet; they +will keep her busy for a goodish time with her bows towards them," +observed an old fisherman. "Uncle Reuben knows what he is about, and if +there is a man can steer the `Rescue' on a night like this he can. A +worse sea, in which a boat might live, I never saw. There is little +likelihood of its getting better either, by the look of the sky." + +The last remark was not encouraging; still, while a possibility remained +of the return of the boat, none among the anxious group would, in spite +of the rain and spray and fierce wind, leave the point. + +At length a sharp-eyed youngster darted forward to the extreme end of +the rock, at the risk of being washed off by the next breaker which +dashed against it. + +"I see her! I see her!" he shouted. + +There was a rush forward. Dame Lanreath held her granddaughter back. + +"You cannot bring them in sooner, Nelly," she said, "and, my child, +prepare your heart for what God may have ordered. Seek for strength, +Nelly, to be able to say, `Thy will be done!'" + +"I am trying," groaned Nelly; "but O granny, why do you say that?" + +"It is better to be prepared for bad tidings before they come," answered +the dame; "but it maybe that God has willed that Michael should be +saved, and so let us be ready with a grateful heart to welcome him; but +whichever way it is, remember that it is for the best." + +The dame herself, notwithstanding what she said, felt her own heart +depressed. + +A simultaneous shout arose from the men and boys who had gone to the end +of the point. + +"The boat! the boat! It is her, no doubt about it," they cried out, and +then most of them hurried away to the landing-place to welcome their +friends and assist them on shore. + +The dame and Nelly followed them. Some still remained at the point, +knowing that there was yet another danger to be passed at the very +entrance of the harbour, for a cross sea breaking at its mouth might +hurl the boat, in spite of the efforts of the rowers, against the rocks, +and those who had toiled so long, worn out with fatigue, would require +assistance, for, unaided, their lives might be lost. + +As the boat drew near her crew raised a shout in return to the greeting, +of their friends. Perfect silence followed as the "Rescue" neared the +dangerous point. In an instant it was passed, though a sea breaking +over her deluged the crew. + +"Are they all saved?" shouted several voices. + +"Some, but not all; but our boys are here: tell my dame," shouted Reuben +as the boat glided by. + +Nelly heard the answer. With trembling knees she stood on the +landing-place supported by Dame Lanreath, while the light of several +lanterns fell on the boat and the figures of those in her as she came +alongside. + +Eager hands were ready to help the well-nigh exhausted crew on shore. +Nelly tried to distinguish the countenances of the men--the light +falling on her pale face as she stooped over. + +"He is here, Nelly; Michael is safe," cried Uncle Reuben, and Simon, +with two or three others, speedily assisted Michael on shore. + +Nelly, regardless of those around, threw her arms round his neck, and +kissed his lips and cheeks, while the dame with others helped him to +move away from the quay. + +"I shall soon be strong again, Nelly," he whispered. "God be praised +for His mercies to us. My sorest thought was, as I felt myself in the +breakers, that you and granny would be left without me to help you." + +At the moment that Nelly's arms were about her betrothed, a man in the +boat, refusing the aid of others, sprang on shore. As he passed, Dame +Lanreath caught a glimpse of the haggard features of Eban Cowan. He +rushed on without stopping to receive the greetings of any of those +gathered on the quay, and was quickly lost to sight as he made his way +up the glen. + +"Eban seems in a strange mood," observed Simon. "He might have stopped +till Michael and all of us had thanked him for his brave act; he seems +as if he was sorry he had done it, or was wishing that he was with the +other poor fellows who are lying out there among the rocks." + +Michael was too weak to walk. Uncle Reuben invited him to come to his +cottage; but he wished to return home, and there was no lack of willing +arms to carry him. + +"Where is David Treloar?" he asked. "If it had not been for him I +should have been washed off the spar, but he held me on till I was +hauled on board." + +"David! poor fellow! he is among those who are gone," was the answer. +"If it was he who was on the spar with you, he would not, it seems, quit +it till he thought you were safe; and meantime his strength must have +gone before help could reach him." + +"Then he lost his life to save mine," said Michael, deeply grieved. +"And how was I saved?" + +"By that brave fellow, Eban Cowan, who jumped overboard, and brought you +on board," answered Uncle Reuben. + +"Where is he, that I may shake him by the hand, and thank him?" inquired +Michael; but Eban was not to be found. + +Michael hoped the next morning to be able to go to the mill and thank +Eban. + +Nelly wondered at what she heard, recollecting Eban's visit to her a few +hours before; but she said nothing. Indeed, by that time, with a sail, +a litter had been rigged, on which his friends carried Michael to his +cottage, Dame Lanreath and Nelly following them. + +The rest of the population of the village hastened to their homes, +several with hearts grieving for those who had been lost. They did not, +however, find any lack of friends to comfort them--for all could +sympathise where all knew that the like misfortune might some day happen +to themselves. Uncle Reuben, too, had ample cause for grief. The +little vessel on which he depended for the subsistence of his family had +gone to pieces, and it would be a hard matter to obtain another. And +honest David and the other lads in whom he was interested were gone; but +his young boys were saved, and he felt thankful for the mercies granted +him. + +Michael, carefully watched over by Nelly, and doctored by the dame, soon +recovered his strength. As soon as he was strong enough, he told Nelly +that he must go and tell Eban how thankful he was to him for saving his +life. + +Nelly, on this, gave him an account of what had occurred on that +eventful evening of the wreck. He was greatly astonished. + +"But he is a brave fellow, Nelly; and though I cannot say what I should +have been ready to do to him had I known it before, yet he saved my +life, and risked his to do so, and I must not forget that. I must +forget all else, and go and thank him heartily." + +"Go, Michael," said Nelly, "and tell him that I bless him from my heart, +and wish him every happiness; but do not ask him to come here. It is +better for his sake he should not be seeing me and fancying that I can +ever care for him." + +Michael promised to behave discreetly in the matter, and set off. + +The heavy gale was still blowing. He wondered as he went along how the +path was so much steeper and rougher than it used to be, not aware how +greatly his strength had decreased. + +On reaching the mill he saw old Cowan standing at the door. He inquired +for Eban. + +"Where is he? That's more than I can tell you, lad," he answered. "He +went away the other evening and has not since come back. I do not +inquire after his movements, and so I suppose it is all right." + +Michael then told the old man of the service his son had rendered him. + +"Glad he saved thy life, lad; he is a brave fellow, no doubt of that; +but it is strange that he should not have come in to have his clothes +dried and get some rest." + +None of the household could give any further account of Eban. + +Michael, again expressing such thanks as his heart prompted, returned +home. + +Several days passed and rumours came that Eban had been seen on the way +to Falmouth: and his father, who had become anxious about him, setting +off, discovered that he had gone on board a large ship which had put in +there to seek shelter from the gale. He had left no message, and no +letter was received by any of his family to say why he had gone, or what +were his intentions for the future. + +During the winter two or three seizures of smuggled goods were made; +they belonged to the band of which Eban was supposed to have been the +leader: and old Cowan, whose venture it was known they were, became +gradually downcast and desponding. His fishing-boats were unsuccessful; +he offered one for sale, which Uncle Reuben and Michael purchased +between them; another was lost; and, his mill being burned down, he died +soon afterwards broken-hearted, leaving his family in utter destitution. + +In the spring Michael and Nelly married. The wedding, if not a very gay +one, was the merriest which had occurred in the village for many a day, +nor were any of the usual customs in that part of Cornwall omitted. + +Dame Lanreath declared that she felt younger than she had been for the +last ten years, or twenty for that matter, and Uncle Reuben had +recovered from his rheumatism with the warm spring weather. The +pilchard harvest in that year was unusually early and abundant, and +Michael was able to increase the size of his house and improve its +appearance, while he gave his young wife many comforts, which he +declared no one so well deserved. No one disputed the point; indeed, +all agreed that a finer and happier young couple was not to be found +along the Cornish coast. + +They were grateful to God for the happiness they enjoyed, and while they +prayed that it might be prolonged, and that their lives might be spared, +they did not forget that He Who had the power to give had the right to +take away. But, trusting to His mercy and loving-kindness, they hoped +that He would think fit to protect them during their lives on earth, +while they could with confidence look forward to that glorious future +where there will be no more sorrow and no more parting. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Michael Penguyne, by William H. G. Kingston + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MICHAEL PENGUYNE *** + +***** This file should be named 23188.txt or 23188.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/1/8/23188/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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