He had exchanged his midshipman’s hat for a wide-brimmed beaver, and wore a long cloak which made him look more like a magistrate’s clerk than a sailor. Thus disguised, he walked over the beach, climbed the cliff, and struck into a path which would lead by a roundabout way into the Luscombe road. It was very unlikely that he would meet any of the Luscombe people in this direction; but Babbage’s question reminded him of the unlucky end of a similar errand in the previous autumn, and he smiled somewhat grimly as he remembered his resolve to get even with his captors. A white mist lay over the land, striking very cold against his face. But it favored his chances of escaping notice if any one should meet him, and he was indeed glad of the obscurity when, in the driver of a gig that passed him, he thought he recognized the bulky form of Mr. Gudgeon. Save for this solitary traveler, the road was quite deserted, and he arrived without adventure at Gumley’s cottage. He looked over the fence. No one was to be seen. Though it was already almost dark, owing to the mist, no light appeared in the cottage window. "Ahoy O!" he called, without raising his voice, making a trumpet of his hands so that the sound would carry. There was no answer. He rapped on the fence, calling "Ahoy O!" again. Still there was no reply. "Here goes!" he said to himself. Stripping off his cloak he folded it and laid it on the nails, then clambered over and hastened to the door. "I say, Gumley, let me in," he said, rapping. "Who be ’ee? This bean’t no inn." "It’s me, Gumley—Jack Hardy, you know." "Tell that to the marines. Mr. Hardy’s far away. Get along with ’ee." "Don’t be a jackass, Gumley. Open the door. Comely will know me if you don’t." "’Ware dog, then, and if his teeth jine in your legs ’tis your own doing, whoever ye be!" There was a rattling of the bolts. The door was opened. The bulldog rushed out, and with a growl of pleasure began to rub his nose against Jack’s trousers. "There you are, you see," he said, stepping into the cottage, to find Gumley standing on guard with a blunderbuss. "Well, sir, this is a rare surprise. I seemed to know your voice, but thought for sure it must be your ghost. Never did I expect to see you no more in this world, sir, and right glad I be." "So am I, Gumley. But fasten up again, and light your lamp. I want to talk to you." "But how did ye escape, sir?" asked Gumley, as he shot the bolt and led the way to his kitchen. "’Tis too long a story to tell you now. Another time. But why, man, what’s the matter with you? You look very down in the mouth."