thon captain's a clever
enough cut of a man for them as thinks of nothing but a clean figure and
a good leg. He's no that ill-looking; but, eh, there's a glint in his
eye I wouldna trust. I pity the lassie that loves him. But there's no
fear of thon lady falling into sic a snare. She can mine herself well,
I'm thinkin'."

They reached the cliff above the Pigeon Cave, and Una began her downward
climb. Hannah stared at her in horror.

"Mind yourself, Miss Una. You're never going down there, are ye? And
you expect me to break my old bones going after you, do ye? Faith and
I willna avaw, I'd rather be back rolling my eyes at the captain and
letting on to him that I wanted a kiss than go down yon cliff."

"Come," said Una, "it looks worse than it is. Come, Hannah, you must
come. Would you have the poor boy starve in the cave?"

The appeal was too strong to be resisted. Hannah, with much grumbling,
climbed down. Una carried the bundles one by one to the shelf of rock
from which Neal had slipped into the dark water the night before. She
took the straps from them, and unwound the sheets and bathing clothes.
Within was store of food--parcels of oatcake, baps, cold meat, butter,
cheese, a bottle of wine, a flask of whisky and water, a package of
candles. She had determined that Neal should feast royally in his
hiding-place, and that he should not sit in the dark, though he had to
sit alone. She floated the raft of corks, and very carefully loaded it
with her good things. Then, with a piece of cord, she moored it to the
rock.

"Are ye no afeard, Miss Una?" said Hannah. "Eh, but it's well to be
young and strong, I wouldna go in there, not for all the gold and silver
and the spices that King Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba. I wouldna
go in a boat, let alone swimming. Miss Una, could you no shout, and let
him come for the food himself?"

Una looked at her with a wondering reproach in her eyes.

"Am I the only one that's to do nothing for him? Didn't Maurice get him
free in the town of Antrim? Didn't you chase the yeomen from him last
night? Isn't Aunt Estelle sitting with that Captain Twinely now? And may
I not do something, too? I think mine's the easiest thing of the four."

"You're a venturesome lassie, so you are. I dinna like the looks of thon
water. It's over green for me, so it is. I can see right down to the
bottom of it, and that's no natural in the sea, and it so deep, too. And
thon cave, Miss Una, with the smoo