Part 42 (2/2)
The ladies were unanimous in their desire to keep at sea, so the yacht stood on her course They certainly did repent of their resolve when the beacon on the Wolf Rock appeared on the starboard hand, and the gale caot up, such as those who have often been in the chops of the Channel have experienced to their cost The ladies, however, showed not a shadow of fear
The yacht behaved beautifully Murray knew that he could trust to her spars and rigging, for Ben had superintended the fitting out of the vessel, and set up each shroud and stay, and carefully examined every inch of her masts and yards, so that he felt confident that not a flaw existed In a short tie between the Land's End and the Scilly Isles, guided by the two shi+ps on the starboard bow and those of the light vessel off the Seven Stones on the port
”Why, I expected that we should have a terrible night of it; how suddenly the gale has gone down!” exclaimed Julia, not aware that the yacht had been just put before the wind, as she and the other ladies were seated on the sofas in the luxurious cabin
The yacht, instead of heeling over as she had hitherto been doing, was on a tolerably even keel, though she gave now and then a little playful roll or pitch into the seas as she rapidly clove her way over them
Jack cahts, which now appeared before theht vessel on the port boas stationed there, no shi+p on a dark night and bad weather would willingly run through this channel,”
he observed ”But now it can be done as safely as in the broadest daylight, or indeed even ether,” said Julia
”Yes,” answered Jack, ”one is at each uished froht of shi+ps frones, on the southern rocks of Scilly You can see it lon over the port quarter Now you see it is hidden, but it will appear again in another ht is fixed and is always visible”
As Murray had prognosticated, the wind moderated, and the _Stella_ had a pleasant run across the ht-house the next forenoon to the ard of Milford Haven on the starboard hand, the revolving Tuscar lights off the Irish coast being seen over the port quarter as it grew dark
The wind now fell, and not until nextup, which wafted the _Stella_ along the Wicklow coast Just before dark she brought up in the beautiful Bay of Dublin, the wind not allowing her to get into Kingstown harbour Adair being especially anxious to go on shore to learn how it fared with Desmond, the boat was manned, and Jack acco to remain on board
The eventful day of the trial was over, and already it had been decided whether Gerald Desmond was to remain a poor lieutenant with his half-pay alone to depend upon, or become the owner of a handsome estate--albeit somewhat encumbered--and the possessor of a title, at all events worth soht think about the matter Jack felt al else during their passage up to Dublin The crew seeave ith a will On arriving at Dublin, having sent the boat back to the yacht, they hastened up to the residence of the Counsellor McMahon, hoht in Dublin, and to return the next stown to the _Stella_
Captain Adair, excited by his feelings, pulled the bell with more than his usual vehemence
”Is Counsellor McMahon at home?” he asked
”No, your honour, thebefore they're hoht the terured ill Surely the servant would speak of Desained his cause He, however, considered that it would be undignified to put the question
”Are any of the family at home?” asked Jack, as he and Adair tendered their cards
”Sure, yes, capt'ns; the hty glad to see ye”
”Take up our cards, at all events,” said Adair, ”and ait in the hall”
The servant hurried off, while Jack and Adair stood waiting his return
The man soon returned
”Cohty pleased to see you,” he said, beginning, in a way no English servant would have thought of doing, to relieve thee of these; they'll be after inco possession of their beavers by gentle force
Adair s to give up his hat