Now all along I had been a free lance in the business. Lord Falmouth, of whom I have spoken as Hugh Boscawen, because our county people preferred this honoured old name to the title which had first been given to his father--Lord Falmouth, I say, had insisted that I was not in a fit condition to render him active service because of my wound. In truth, as I have before intimated, he urged that I should stay for some time at Tregothnan, and although I had managed to persuade him as to my fitness to travel and to meet him at Veryan Bay, I knew practically nothing of what he had done. That he should have been able to secure such a large number of men at such a short notice was indicative of his influence in the county. As far as that matter goes, there was no man better known or more respected, while the name of Boscawen was held in reverence from Land's End to the banks of the Tamar, and even beyond it. At one time he was believed to have much influence in Parliament, and no small amount of power over King George himself. But I, who am not a politician, cannot speak with authority on such matters. Of his kinsman, the great Admiral Boscawen, and his prowess, all the world knows. But Hugh did not possess the admiral's genius as a commander, and I could not help seeing, ignorant as I was in all matters pertaining to warfare, that the matter seemed sorely bungled, because of a failure to understand how wily Uncle Anthony and the Killigrews were. However, I rode off with a few men, and found my way with all diligence along the coast. As Boscawen had said, it was a dark, murky night, and it would be difficult to see a signal from afar. I dared not ride very near the coast, as many parts of it were dangerous; indeed it was with difficulty that we made the journey at all. The country was thickly wooded, and pathways were few. I had gone perhaps four miles beyond the spot where Boscawen's men lay, keeping a sharp lookout on the coast all the way, when I stopped the horses and listened. We had been riding through fields and by the side of hedges, so as to make as little noise as possible, and I had commanded a halt because I thought I saw two or three dark forms not far away. For some minutes we listened in vain, but presently I heard the sound of footsteps coming along a lane near by. Creeping silently to the hedgeside, I could detect the noise of three men coming from a northward direction. "It's all up," I heard one say. "Yes, we'd better get as far from these parts as possible." "I suppose a big fire has been lit up by Chapel Point!" "Yes, that was the signal agreed on in case of danger." "Do you think they'll see it? It's a beastly night." "If they can keep it up long enough." "Ah, yes; if they can do that the vessel will turn back." "I suppose so."