He spit it out again, and then looked up to the stars, which were twinkling above him. I wonder what o'clock it is, thought Smallbones, when he thought he heard a distant sound. Smallbones pricked up his ears and listened;--yes, it was in regular cadence, and became louder and louder. It was a boat pulling. "Well, I am sure," thought Smallbones, "they'll think they have caught a queer fish anyhow:" and he waited very patiently for the fisherman to come up. At last he perceived the boat, which was very long and pulled many oars. "They be the smuglars," thought Smallbones. "I wonder whether they'll pick up a poor lad? Boat ahoy!" The boat continued to pass towards the coast, impelled at the speed of seven or eight miles an hour, and was now nearly abreast of Smallbones, and not fifty yards from him. "I say, boat ahoy!" screamed Smallbones, to the extent of his voice. He was heard this time, and there was a pause in the pulling, the boat still driving through the water with the impulse which had been given her, as if she required no propelling power. "I say you arn't a going for to come for to leave a poor lad here to be drowned, are you?" "That's Smallbones, I'll swear," cried Jemmy Ducks, who was steering the boat, and who immediately shifted the helm. But Sir Robert Barclay paused; there was too much at stake to run any risk, even to save the life of a fellow-creature. "You takes time for to think on it anyhow," cried Smallbones--"you are going for to leave a fellow-christian stuck like a herring in a fishing net, are you? you would not like it yourself, anyhow." "It is Smallbones, sir," repeated Jemmy Ducks, "and I'll vouch for him as a lad that's good and true." Sir Barclay no longer hesitated: "Give way, my lads, and pick him up." In a few minutes, Smallbones was hauled in over the gunnel, and was seated on the stern-sheets opposite to Sir Robert. "It's a great deal colder out of the water than in, that's sartain," observed Smallbones, shivering. "Give way, my lads, we've no time to stay," cried Sir Robert. "Take this, Smallbones," said Jemmy. "Why, so it is, Jemmy Ducks!" replied Smallbones, with astonishment--"why, how did you come here?" "Sarcumstances," replied Jemmy; "how did you come there?" "Sarcumstances too, Jemmy," replied Smallbones. "Keep silence," said Sir Robert, and nothing more was said until the lugger dashed into the cave. The cargo was landed, and Smallbones who was very cold was not sorry to assist. He carried up his load with the rest, and as usual the women came half-way down to receive it. "Why, who have we here?" said one of the women to whom Smallbones was delivering his load, "why, it's Smallbones." "Yes," replied Smallbones, it is me; "but how came you here, Nancy?" "That's tellings, but how came you, my lad?" replied Nancy. "I came by water anyhow." "Well, you are one of us now, you know there's no going back."