The breeze was light, and the lugger was slipping along quietly through the water.

He could faintly see the loom of the cliffs on his right, and knew that the lugger was running west, keeping as close inshore as she could, to avoid the cutter watching for her outside.

He wondered what they would say at home, when it was found that he was missing; but consoled himself by thinking that his mother, who was still up at the Hall, would no doubt suppose that he had gone out for a night's fishing, as he had often done before, and that, as she was away, he had forgotten to leave word with the servant.
Suddenly, a blue light burned out on the top of the cliff.

An angry exclamation broke from the captain, who was standing at the helm.
"Confound it!" he exclaimed.

"They have caught sight of us from the cliff, and are signalling our whereabouts to the cutter." As he spoke, he turned the vessel's head seaward, and, for a quarter of an hour, sailed straight out.
"Now," he said quietly, "I think we must be out of sight of those fellows on shore.