Besides, it's far better for you to suffer a bit than that yon
vessel shall be wrecked. Now I'll leave you to your sins; I'm off."

"Off where?"

"Off where you'll never see me again. You'll have company to-night,
perhaps. It's said that Peter Crowle's ghost comes here on windy nights.
I wish you pleasant company."

"Oh, doan't 'ee go," he screamed; "I'm 'fraid of sperrits, I be. Let me
free, Squire, 'n I'll never tell where you'm gone; I'll zay you'm
drowned, or tumbled ovver the cleffs or anything, onnly do cut the
ropes, and lev me be free."

"No," I said; "while you are here Cap'n Jack will think the false
lights are showing, and perhaps the vessel will be safe. As for the
spirits, you are the strongest, bravest man in the gang, and, of course,
you are not afraid of spirits."

"But you bean't agoin' to take th'oull mare?"

"Yes; Smiler will come with me. Good luck to you, Israel Barnicoat."

I sprang upon Smiler's back and rode away, leaving him in the sheltered
hollow. The night was cold and threatened rain, but I was sure that,
hardy and used to exposure as he was, he would not be hurt. When morning
came he would be searched for and found. Of course he would tell his
story to Cap'n Jack, but by that time I hoped to be out of harm's way.

At first I rode slowly, especially until I got to Ruan Major. Arrived
there, however, and having struck into the road over Goonhilly Downs, I
went faster. I felt strangely happy, for it seemed as though a weight
were rolled from my shoulders. Once more I was a free man, and I
imagined that for some hours I should not be pursued. Besides, all the
time I had been with Cap'n Jack's gang I felt that I was doing what was
unworthy of a Pennington, and worse still, what was unworthy of my love
for Naomi. But more than all, a wild scheme had come into my mind; I
would that night go to Pennington and try to see Naomi. The thought
acted upon me like some strange elixir; to hear Naomi's voice, to feel
her hand in mine, were a joy beyond all words. How I was to do this I
did not know; what difficulties I should meet I did not consider. The
thought that I should see her was enough for me, and I shouted for very
joy. The hour was not yet late, and I calculated that by hard riding I
could get to Pennington by midnight. Thus at the very hour when Israel
Barnicoat had planned for me to be taken by the Preventive men, I hoped
to be speaking to my love.

In looking back I can see that my