"Oh, yes," said Bet, with a short, grim laugh; "he have a price on both their lives--don't let's talk of it. He shan't find 'em--and they shall live, if only to spite him." "But where will you take 'em, my dear? He's a bad, cruel man, but he is a rare and clever one too, and he will outwit a slip of a lass like you. If he wants the boys he can claim them, I suppose. I'm main sorry for you, Bet; but I don't see how you are to hide them--I really don't." "I have promised mother," said Bet; "there is no use argufying on that point." Then she added, in a softer voice: "I'm going to the Irish quarter. I know a woman there who'll be a match for father, but I'd best not say her name, for if he comes questioning it is better no one should know. Now, I'll say 'good-night' Hester; thank you for bringing me home. I'm more comforted than I wor." When Bet rose, Will knocked the ashes out of his pipe. "I'll see you home, Bet," he said; and the two went out together. When they got out on to the docks, Will said, half slyly, "The night's quite fair; will you come with me, Bet, and I'll show you where the 'Good Queen Anne' is lying at anchor, and all as trim as possible, ready to sail to-morrow night?" "The 'Good Queen Anne,'" repeated Bet, "that's your ship, ain't it, Will?" "Why, of course; didn't you hear me tell Hester? I am rare and lucky, I can tell you, to have found a berth in her--good pay and good rations, and a jolly crew, and a fair-spoken captain. It ain't every fellow has the luck to find a berthlike mine. And I'll be back in the summer, Bet. It's a short voyage, and everything just to my mind. You'll wish me luck, won't you, Bet? for the sake of--well, because we used to be playmates a while back, you mind." "A good while back," repeated Bet. "Oh, yes, I wish you luck, Will. And is that the 'Good Queen Anne?' What is the figure at her bows?" "A girl," said Will, eagerly, "with her arms over her head and a smile on her lips. Some people say it's a sort of figure of Queen Anne, after whom the ship is named, but I don't take her to be that; and now in the moonlight--you can see her well now, Bet, in the moonlight--with the smile showing upon her lips, she looks like what I take her to be more than ever." "And what is that, Will?" "Hope--aye, lass, a right good hope--and luck to Will Scarlett comes in the bonny ship." Bet sighed. Will's blue eyes were looking at her in the moonlight. "I'll go home now," she said, gently. She sighed again, and half turned away her head from her companion. "There's a many people have things to be thankful for," she said, presently. "I ain't one of them. I think I'll wish you good-night now, Will. Good-night, and--yes, good luck." She turned away without even offering her hand, plunging suddenly down a narrow court which would lead her out into the front of the town nearest to her home. Will hesitated for a second; then, the blood surging up into his face, and his heart beating quickly, he ran after her.