do that,"
answered old Ben. "He had not been aboard yesterday evening two minutes
before he got under weigh, and must have gained a good offing before the
gale came on."

"I heartily hope that such may be the case," observed Stephen.

"I am afraid that if he got under weigh he will not be coming back,"
said Roger.

"We shall soon know," observed Ben. "Dawn is just breaking, and it will
be daylight ere long.--Come in, young gentlemen, and in the meantime,
for you are wet through, I will rouse up young Toby, and we will have a
fire lighted to dry your wet duds."

The lads were glad enough to accept old Ben's invitation, for though
they had strained their eyes to the utmost no sign could they discover
of the _Benbow_ frigate, but they fancied that the darkness, which is
generally the greatest an hour before dawn, had concealed her from their
sight. Toby, who turned out on being called, quickly lighted a fire
with the driftwood, of which there was generally an abundant supply on
the beach, and they sat before it for some time drying their wet
clothes, its bright light preventing them from seeing how rapidly the
dawn was advancing. At length Roger starting up exclaimed, "Why, it is
nearly broad daylight: we shall be well able to see the ship where she
lay at anchor."

"I doubt if you will see her there or anywhere else," said old Ben, as
he accompanied Roger and Stephen, who eagerly ran out of the cottage.

Though the rain had ceased, the gale was blowing as hard as ever, while
the spray which rose from the breakers dashing on the shore beneath
their feet filled the air as they reached a point where, by shading
their eyes with their hands, they could obtain a view over the whole
bay. They eagerly looked out, but nowhere was the _Benbow_ frigate to
be seen. Ben's information was correct.

It was evident that Captain Benbow, on perceiving the approach of bad
weather, had immediately got under weigh to gain a good offing. In vain
the lads gazed along the whole line of the horizon extending from the
Bill of Portland to the Start--not a sail was visible.

"Maybe she's run in for shelter on the other side of Portland, or, still
more likely, has stood on through the Needle passage to bring up inside
the Isle of Wight," observed Ben. "She will not be coming back here,
you may depend on?"

As there was nothing more to be done, Roger, greatly disappointed,
returned with Stephen to the manor-house. He was very glad