aight to the cottage, where Mother Bonnet was waiting for
him and ready to catch him by the shoulder.

"There now, my dear! It's of no use for you to hang away," said the old
woman. "I've got a nice supper ready, and you must eat or else you
won't be able to help your poor father if he should come back."

"But he won't come back," said Bigley. "He will not dare."

"I don't know what he may not do when it's quite dark," said the old
woman. "There! You come and sit down, and you too, my dears, for you
must be famished."

Bigley yielded, and Bob and I were going away, but Bigley jumped up and
stopped us.

"I'm not bad friends, Bob," he said, holding out his hand. "You didn't
mean what you said, only when a fellow speaks against my father it hurts
me, and--"

"I'm so sorry, Big," exclaimed Bob eagerly, and they shook hands.

I was glad, but still I was going away. Bigley stopped me though.

"I sha'n't eat if you don't," he said.

"But I can't now after what has happened," I said.

"It wasn't your fault," replied Bigley gloomily. "Your father was
obliged to speak. Come and sit down."

I was so faint and exhausted that I yielded, and we three lads made a
tremendous meal, to Mother Bonnet's great delight.

This ended, the inclination was upon us all to go fast asleep after the
broken night we had passed; but Bigley jumped up and led the way to the
door.

"Come along," he said. "The cutter will be back soon to clear off the
cargo, and I want to hear what they say."

He walked out and we followed him to the beach, which was quite
deserted; and we three lads began to walk up and down, too much excited
to feel sleepy now, and kept on gazing out to sea for the returning
cutter.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

BIGLEY DOES NOT THINK HIS FATHER IS A DOG.

We went up to the cottage two or three times, to find Mother Bonnet
keeping up the fire and the table laid for a second supper; and then we
went back to the beach.

Everything was perfectly still. The mine people had long before gone to
bed, but we watched on, feeling sure that something was going to happen;
and so it was that about half-past twelve we heard oars, and soon after
made out a boat which was being pulled by four men, while as soon as we
were seen a voice cried from the boat:

"Ahoy! Who's there?"

"Father!" cried Bigley excitedly.

"Hush! Who's there?" said old Jonas as we felt quite stunned with
surprise.

"Only Bob Chowne and Sep D