with the result that the
sail began to flap, while, as it filled again and the boat careened in
the opposite direction, there was a dull, hissing, washing sound,
followed by a slap and a hollow thud, as if a quantity of water had been
thrown into a rift.

"Where are we?" said Aleck, who felt startled.

"Running clear now, sir; but in another moment you'd ha' been right on
the East Skerries."

"What!" cried Tom.

"Don't holler, mate," said the smuggler, drily. "Mebbe there's one o'
the man-o'-war's boats."

"Running right on the East Skerries! Right you are, messmet. That was
the tide going into the Marmaid's Kitchen. Here, I feel as if I'd never
been to sea and took bearings in my life, Master Aleck!"

"Yes; what is it?"

"Don't you never trust me again."

"But do you mean to say that you can't see those rocks just abeam, Tom
Bodger?"

"Not a rock on 'em, messmet; but I can hear the bladder-wrack washing in
and out."

"But you, Master Aleck?"

"I can see it looks a little darker there," replied the lad, "and a
little lighter lower down."

"Well, it's amazin', sir. I can see 'em quite plain. I s'pose my eyes
must be a little better than yourn through being out so much of a
night."

"Smuggling, Eben?" said Aleck, quietly.

The man laughed softly, and, standing up now, holding on by one of the
stays, he shaded his eyes and looked about him for some time.

"There's the riding lights of the two King's ships," he said, half
aloud, "but I can't see the boats. They'd be giving the rocks about
here a wide berth, and you pretty well left 'em behind, Master Aleck.
Now, sir, what are you going to do?"

"Run home, of course," said Aleck.

"Round outside the point, sir?"

"Of course."

"You'd save a good two miles by running close to shore and inside the
big island and the point."

"But the rocks?"

"You could steer clear of them, sir."

"But you mean run through the narrows--through the channel?"

"Of course, sir."

"Oh, it couldn't be done," said Aleck, excitedly.

"Easy enough at high water, sir; and that's what it'll be in another
hour."

"Have you ever done it, Eben?"

"Often, sir, and in a bigger boat than this."

"Could you steer us safe through?"

The smuggler laughed.

"My father taught me to do it, sir, when I was a little boy."

"It would save an hour?"

"Quite, sir."

"What do you say, Tom? Would you go?"

"Me, sir? I'd go anywhere as Eben Megg dared to steer."