He could not hear; yet tugg’d like a Trojan. “Now, here’s a time to keep a man sittin’!” he shouted, as he caught my hand, and pull’d me full length on the turf. “Why, lad—hast seen a ghost?” There was no answer. The black horror had overtaken me at last. * * * * * They carried me to a shed in the great court of Gleys, and set me on straw: and there, till far into the afternoon, I lay betwixt swooning and trembling, while Delia bath’d my head in water from the sea, for no other was to be had. And about four in the afternoon the horror left me, so that I sat up and told my story pretty steadily. “What of the house?” I ask’d, when the tale was done, and a company sent to search the east cliff from the beach. “All perish’d!” said Delia, and then smiling, “I am houseless as ever, Jack.” “And have the same good friends.” “That’s true. But listen—for while you have lain here, Billy and I have put our heads together. He is bound for Brest, he says, and has agreed to take me and such poor chattels as are saved, to Brittany, where I know my mother’s kin will have a welcome for me, until these troubles be pass’d. Already the half of my goods is aboard the _Godsend_, and a letter writ to Sir Bevill, begging him to appoint an honest man as my steward. What think you of the plan?” “It seems a good plan,” I answer’d slowly: “the England that now is, is no place for a woman. When do you sail?” “As soon as you are recovered, Jack.” “Then that’s now.” I got on my feet, and drew on my boots (that Matt. Soames had found in the laurel bushes and brought). My knees trembled a bit, but nothing to matter. “Art looking downcast, Jack.” Said I: “How else should I look, that am to lose thee in an hour or more?” She made no reply to this, but turned away to give an order to the sailors. The last of Delia’s furniture was hardly aboard, when we heard great shouts of joy, and saw the men returning that had gone to search the cliff. They bore between them three large oak coffers: which being broke, we came on an immense deal of old plate and jewels, besides over L300 in coined money. There were two more left behind, they said, besides several small bags of gold. The path up the cliff was hard to climb, and would have been impossible, but for the iron ladder they found ready fix’d for Master Tingcomb’s descent. In the hole (that could not be seen from the beach, the shelf hiding it) was tackle for lowering the chest: and below a boat moor’d, and now left high and dry by the tide. Doubtless, the arch-rascal had waited for his comrades to return, whom Matt. Soames and I had scar’d out of all stomach to do so. His body was nowhere found. The sea had wash’d it off: but the sack they recover’d, and found to hold the choicest of Delia’s heirlooms. Within an hour the remaining coffers and the money bags were safe in the vessel’s hold. * * * * *