Dick drove them to Torquay, then returned home. Brack rowed them out to the _Sea-mew_. He was loquacious as usual. "Nice night, gents," he said. "Beautiful, Brack. Isn't it rather dark though?" said Ben. Picton seemed moody. "Yes, there's no moon to speak of; it's darker than I've known it at this time o' year." The old fellow chatted until they came alongside. Picton paid him and said good-night. Brack thanked him and said: "Goin' to ride any winners to-morrow, sir?" This roused him and he told Brack the names of the horses and the races they were going for. "You back The Rascal for the double if you can find any one to lay it to you," said Picton. "We've a bookie among us," said Brack. "He's a young 'un and as good a sailor as the best of us, but he's artful, very artful, and he's had many a bob out'er me, and the rest. I'd like to take him down, and I will. The Rascal for the double, you said?" "Yes, and here's half a sovereign to put on him," said Picton. Brack gave an audible chuckle as he said: "Lor' love us, that'll just about bust him if it comes off." They laughed as he rowed away, whistling softly to himself. "I'll turn in early," said Picton. "The best thing you can do," said the Captain. "You seem a bit out of sorts to-day." "I am; I can't get the sound of the gun out of my ears." Ben looked at him sympathetically. "I knew what you meant, felt what you felt, when you spoke about it," he said. "Strange some one should have escaped from Dartmoor a day or two before," said Picton. "Escapes are often occurring," said Ben. "What did you think about that man on the road, who pushed through the hedge to avoid us?" asked Picton. "Didn't give it more than a passing thought," said Ben. "What was the passing thought?" "I said to myself, 'I wonder if that's the man who escaped?'" "Good-night," said Picton; "I'll turn in." "Good-night," said Ben, as he sat on a deck chair. "He's in a curious mood to-night," he thought. "I'm sorry for him. We ought not to have come here, it brings up painful recollections, the vicinity of Dartmoor; and yet it has its compensations--there's Miss Langford, lovely girl, and as nice as she looks. I hope he'll win to-morrow, it will cheer him up." Ben's mind went back to the time when Picton and Hector were lads together, and the Admiral was alive. His heart was sore for Hector, although he was half inclined to believe him guilty, but tried to convince himself to the contrary by expressing his firm belief in his innocence, in order to be of the same mind as Picton.