dn't do it now. So don't
you make me set up my hackles by trying to offer me anything for this.
Besides, I've got a whole half-crown your uncle gave me, and I am not
even going to ask you whether he had a finger in this pie."

"No, he hadn't--he hadn't indeed," cried Rodd warmly. "On my honour,
sergeant, I did it all."

"All right, my lad, I'll take your word; but just you take my advice.
The law's law, and they're pretty sharp about here, so if you hear the
gun fire and the soldiers are out after any poor fellows who have
escaped, don't you get meddling with 'em again. Time I was off back."
And without another word the sergeant sprang up and strode away, leaving
Rodd watching him for a time and admiring the man's upright carriage and
bold elastic step, till happening to cast his eyes in another direction,
he found himself looking down upon Mrs Champernowne's cottage, and,
with letter in hand and straw hat on head, Uncle Paul, looking in all
directions as if in search of his missing boy.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

THE SALCOMBE BOATS.

"I am very, very sorry, sir," said Mrs Champernowne. "Of course I am
only a poor widow, and I let my apartments to gentlemen who come down
fishing or to take walks for their health over the moor. But your stay
down here has been something more than that. It has been a real
pleasure to me ever since you and the young gentleman have been here.
And not only am I very sorry that you are going away, but it has quite
upset me to hear that you are going sailing away over the stormy seas,
searching for all kinds of strange things in foreign abroad."

"Oh, come, come, Mrs Champernowne," cried Uncle Paul, as he saw the
poor woman lift up her apron and put one corner to her eye. "There
oughtn't to be anything in a naturalist's expedition to upset you."

"Ah, you don't know, sir," said Mrs Champernowne, speaking to Uncle
Paul, but shaking her head sadly at Rodd all the while. "I have had
those who were near and dear to me go sailing away quite happy and
joyful like, just the same as you and Mr Rodney might, and never come
back again, for the sea is a very dangerous place."

"Oh, perhaps so, and of course there are exceptions," said Uncle Paul;
"but as a rule people do come back safe."

"I don't know, sir," said the old lady, shaking her head sadly. "The
sea is very unruly sometimes. Hadn't you better take my advice, sir,
and stop here? The moor's very big, and surely if you and the youn