r.

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE.

IN WHICH THE JACOBITE CAUSE IS TRIUMPHANT BY SEA AS WELL AS BY LAND.

The great difficulty which Sir Robert Barclay had to surmount, was to
find the means of transport over the Channel for their numerous friends,
male and female, then collected in the cave: now that their retreat was
known, it was certain that some effective measures would be taken by
Government, by which, if not otherwise reduced, they would be surrounded
and starved into submission.

The two boats which they had were not sufficient for the transport of so
numerous a body, consisting now of nearly one hundred and fifty
individuals, and their means of subsistence were limited to a few days.

The arrival of the cutter with the detachments was no source of regret
to Sir Robert, who hoped, by the defeat of the troops, to obtain their
boats, and thus make his escape; but this would have been difficult, if
not impossible, if the cutter had been under command, as she carried
four guns, and could have prevented their escape, even if she did not
destroy the boats; but when Sir Robert observed that it had fallen calm,
it at once struck him, that if, after defeating the troops, they could
board and carry the cutter, that all their difficulties were over: then
they could embark the whole of their people, and run her over to
Cherbourg.

This was the plan proposed by Sir Robert, and agreed to by Ramsay, and
to accomplish this, now that the troops were put to the rout, they had
made a rush for, and obtained, the boats. As for the women left in the
cave, they were perfectly secure for the time, as, without
scaling-ladders, there was no possibility of the remaining troops, even
if they wore rallied, being able to effect anything.

That part of the crew of the Yungfrau who had perceived them rush down
to the beach, reported it to Mr Vanslyperken, who had gone down to his
cabin, not choosing to take any further part in the affray, or to risk
his valuable life. Vanslyperken came on deck, where he witnessed the
manning of the boats, and their pushing out of the cove.

"They are coming to attack us, sir," said Coble, who had been left in
charge of the cutter when Mr Vanslyperken went on shore.

Mr Vanslyperken turned pale as a sheet; his eyes were fixed upon the
form of Ramsay, standing up on the stern-sheets of the first boat, with
his sabre raised in the air--he immediately recognised him, panted for
breath, and could make no reply.