The man threw at the boy one shy glance of a woodland creature, and then ignored him. Another moment and he was stalking on his way, with floating cloak, tall crook, dog at heel, a mass of yellow backs rippling along in front of him. IV The boy stood on the rim of the saucer and looked down. Dim green lowlands lay beneath him, spurs of the Downs thrusting out into them. Beyond, the bay swept away saucer-wise, the sea white along its brown edge. From his feet a shoulder, dark with gorse, plunged seaward. Beneath the swell of it, a level plain ran away to the shore, heaving up there in a little hillock that stood out from the beach as a bump of green. Off the hillock lay the privateer hove-to. Another boat hung at her stern. The boy recognised it at once. It was the lugger _Kite_. Behind the hillock, upon the plain, stood a solitary cottage. At that cottage, lonely in a sea of turf, the boy stared long and earnestly. It was flying a flag out of the chimney. And that flag--yes--no--yes--was the Union Jack. CHAPTER XXX AN OLD SONG I He was off the rim and rushing down through the gorse with thumping heart. True, Ding-dong had ordered him with his last breath to steer clear of human habitation--"They're all in it," the old man had said. But then he possessed the scent-bottle. Now he had nothing but his skin to lose, and as things were he could afford to lose that. Here at any rate was a straw to catch at. Moreover he was in no hurry to get to Lewes to be called a liar. Of course it might only prove to be some loyal old lady, flying her colours dauntlessly in the face of the Frenchman. Just such a thing his mother might do; and there were thousands of her like up and down the country--thank heaven for it! On the other hand it might be a temporary signal-station. After the sacking of the station on Beachy Head, what more likely than that this cottage should be seized for Government purposes and garrisoned?--his own chaps too, sailors--not those swaggering snobs in red coats. If so, he saw his course clear as day. There was the privateer. Somewhere among these huge smooth hills lurked the Gentleman, primed with his fatal message. Between the two was one boat, and so far as he knew one only--the long-boat of the smugglers. If his surmise were correct, and this should prove a blockade-house, he would take the garrison, though it consisted of only half-a-dozen men, attack the Gang, and smash the boat at all costs. II The boy plunged down the hill. The sun beat fiercely on his head, but he hardly felt it.