is another fellow further east, and every inch as big as his
consort," said Wychecombe, as we shall call our lieutenant, in order to
distinguish him from Tom of the same name, repeating the very words of
Dutton, with an application and readiness that almost amounted to wit,
pointing, in his turn, at two strangers who were ascending to the
station by a path that led from the beach. "Certainly both these
gentlemen are in His Majesty's service, and they have probably just
landed from the ships in the offing."

The truth of this conjecture was apparent to Dutton at a glance. As the
strangers joined each other, the one last seen proceeded in advance; and
there was something in his years, the confident manner in which he
approached, and his general appearance, that induced both the sailors to
believe he might be the commander of one of the ships that had just come
in view.

"Good-morrow, gentlemen," commenced this person, as soon as near enough
to salute the party at the foot of the flag-staff; "good-morrow to ye
all. I'm glad to meet you, for it's but a Jacob's ladder, this path of
yours, through the ravine in the cliffs. Hey! why Atwood," looking
around him at the sea of vapour, in surprise, "what the devil has become
of the fleet?"

"It is lost in the fog, sir; we are above it, here; when more on a level
with the ships, we could see, or fancy we saw, more of them than we do
now."

"Here are the upper sails of two heavy ships, sir," observed Wychecombe,
pointing in the direction of the vessels already seen; "ay, and yonder
are two more--nothing but the royals are visible."

"Two more!--I left eleven two-deckers, three frigates, a sloop, and a
cutter in sight, when I got into the boat. You might have covered 'em
all with a pocket-handkerchief, hey! Atwood!"

"They were certainly in close order, sir, but I'll not take it on myself
to say quite as near together as that."

"Ay, you're a dissenter by trade, and never will believe in a miracle.
Sharp work, gentlemen, to get up such a hill as this, after fifty."

"It is, indeed, sir," answered Sir Wycherly, kindly. "Will you do us the
favour to take a seat among us, and rest yourself after so violent an
exertion? The cliff is hard enough to ascend, even when one keeps the
path; though here is a young gentleman who had a fancy just now to go
down it, without a path; and that, too, merely that a pretty girl might
have a nosegay on her breakfast-table."

The stranger looke