own. True, I had the Spanish doubloons; but
then, again, they were not mine, and if they were they were foreign
coins and out of date also, so that no one would have accepted them as
current coin.

"What is to be done?" I asked my companion.

"Done! Why there are several ways that I can think of," said Alec, after
a pause; "but first and foremost, why not go home in the 'Anglo-Franc?'"

"Monday, you're joking."

"Not at all. We have been out on several rough nights in her, and
surely, Norfolk is not such a great way off, that we need fear such a
voyage in early September. By your leave I will go with you and act as
skipper and pilot, and then, having taken you safely home, will resume
my post as King of Jethou. What do you say?"

"But the 'Anglo-Franc' is too small, my good sir."

"Perhaps so; but in a week we can lengthen her, and by adding a couple
of strakes to her upper works she will carry a ton more than she does
now, if it should be necessary."

"Agreed, Alec. Your hand! Good thought!"

The more I turned it over in my mind the better I liked the project. Why
not lengthen and strengthen her at once?

Without delay we would set about it; but to make sure that my father
would not send a vessel for me, I would write him a line. As with my
former letter, brevity marked my epistle.

"_Jethou_,
"_August 21st, 18--._

"DEAR FATHER,

"All's well. I hope to arrive home about September 10th, and trust
to find you all well.

"Your affectionate Son,

"HARRY NILFORD."

Then, launching the boat, I instructed Alec to take the letter to Herm,
so that the first boat crossing would take it to the St. Peter Port post
office.

I stood and watched him as he neared the little pier at the landing
place of Herm, and before he had arrived within two hundred yards of the
place, the whole population--men, women, and children--turned out to see
him. I am not sure but that the _entire_ population was waiting to
receive him, for I could only count twelve persons. I think they could
not muster more than two or three more, all told, so that his reception
was a grand one.

Having instructions from me not to land, he handed the letter up in a
cleft stick, and pushing off a boat's length, had a chat with the
natives.

"They all spoke at once," sai