THE MASTER, &c. CHAPTER V. I'll yet follow The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason Sits in the wind against me. SHAKSPEARE. "WE had money enough given us from the charity funds at the Castle, to enable us to reach the port where the owners of our ship resided, and accordingly set out on our journey the next afternoon. Night came on before we reached the ruins of Dunstanborough Castle, which stand on a steep cliff close to the sea. The eastern swell had not yet gone down, and there was a heavy roaring surf breaking against the rocks that margined the shore. "On approaching the ruins, we distinctly heard voices, and walking cautiously to the eastern angle, discovered two dark figures seated on a stone that had fallen from the decaying wall, which sheltered them from the wind. We instantly retreated out of sight, for they had not seen us, and presently overheard the following conversation, which was held in loud and fearless accents. "We'll try to run part of the cargo at high water,' said a strong voice, 'for surely the lugger's light will be seen in an hour or two. Had we but a few men more to help us off with the cobles, the game is our own.' "I wish they could carry boats for landing the stuff along with them;' replied another speaker, 'there would be less risk and more profit. It must be tried; for although we can say 'fishermen' on one side of the islands, and 'pilots' on the other, we run a risk of being pounced upon, and proved to be neither, one day or other.' “The devil take all duties, say I!' ejaculated the other, and duty-makers too! Who would pay sixpence a glass for rum when he can get brandy and Hollands for a penny, and a fresh quid and a whiff for next to nothing?— A lass is good, A glass is good, And a pipe is good in cold weather! ay, as the song says.' "Avast there, shipmate!' said the other, save your wind for work: may be we shall have to give steel for our stuff, or a bit of cold lead or so. You foul-mouthed eaters of Verginny weed, may have to give tug for your twist. None of your song, Tom, till we have supper to relish it.' "Let us see: we must get the two cobles alongside the lugger at high-water, and if no danger heaves in sight, she will settle down to the islands with the young ebb, and before the first quarter we could slip the boats through between the Wamses and the Farn into the Kettle, and land our stuff in the slip near the old Tower, and have it out of sight in the stow-hole in a twinkling.' other man. "It is a regular-built stow-hole,' said the 'Did you ever hear old Jenny tell her belief of the monkish pranks that were carried on in the island, and how that looking into the Dead-house near the old Tower, there was found a jaw-bone smaller, and teeth whiter, than those of men.' "As to listening to her clatter about St. Cuthbert, the Lady, and the Laidly Worm of Spindlestone Heughs, I had something else to think of when I was in their quarters:-but hark! I thought I heard a sound.' "It's nothing but the surf, or a seal howling among the rocks; or may be the wind rustling among these rotten old walls,' said Tom; but |