In another moment they had landed and secured the boat to a projecting rock.
Few words of conversation passed between these practical men. They had gone there on particular business. Time and tide proverbially wait for no man, but at the Bell Rock they wait a much briefer period than elsewhere. Between low water and the time when it would be impossible to quit the rock without being capsized, there was only a space of two or three hourssometimes more, frequently lessso it behoved the men to economise time.
Rocks covered with wet seaweed and rugged in form are not easy to walk over; a fact which was soon proved by Swankie staggering violently once or twice, and by Spink falling flat on his back. Neither paid attention to his comrades misfortunes in this way. Each scrambled about actively, searching with care among the crevices of the rocks, and from time to time picking up articles which they thrust into their pockets or laid on their shoulders, according as weight and dimensions required.
In a short time they returned to their boat pretty well laden.
Weel, lad, what luck? enquired Spink, as Swankie and he metthe former with a grappling iron on his shoulder, the latter staggering under the weight of a mass of metal.
Not much, replied Swankie; nothin but heavy metal this mornin, only a bit of a cookin stove an a cannon shotthats all.
Never mind, try again. There must ha bin two or three wrecks on the rock this gale, said Davy, as he and his friend threw their burdens into the boat, and hastened to resume the search.
At first Spink was the more successful of the two. He returned to the boat with various articles more than once, while his comrade continued his rambles unsuccessfully. At last, however, Big Swankie came to a gully or inlet where a large mass of the débris of a wreck was piled up in indescribable confusion, in the midst of which lay the dead body of an old man. Swankies first impulse was to shout to his companion, but he checked himself, and proceeded to examine the pockets of the dead man.
Raising the corpse with some difficulty he placed it on the ledge of rock. Observing a ring on the little finger of the right hand, he removed it and put it hastily in his pocket. Then he drew a red morocco case from an inner breast pocket in the dead mans coat. To his surprise and delight he found that it contained a gold watch and several gold rings and brooches, in some of which were beautiful stones. Swankie was no judge of jewellery, but he could not avoid the conviction that these things must needs be valuable. He laid the case down on the rock beside him, and eagerly searched the other pockets. In one he found a large clasp-knife and a pencil-case; in another a leather purse, which felt heavy as he drew it out. His eyes sparkled at the first glance he got of the contents, for they were sovereigns! Just as he made this discovery, Davy Spink climbed over the ledge at his back, and Swankie hastily thrust the purse underneath the body of the dead man.
Hallo! lad, what have ye there? Hey! watches and ringscome, were in luck this mornin.
We! exclaimed Swankie, somewhat sternly, you didnt find that case.
Na, lad, but weve aye divided, an I dinna see what for we should change our plan noo.
Weve nae paction to that effecthe case o kickshaws is mine, retorted Swankie.
Half ot, suggested Spink.
Weel, weel, cried the other with affected carelessness, Id scorn to be sae graspin. For the matter o that ye may hae it all to yersel, but Ill hae the next thing we git thats worth muckle a to mysel.
So saying Swankie stooped to continue his search of the body, and in a moment or two drew out the purse with an exclamation of surprise.
See, Im in luck, Davy! Virtues aye rewarded, they say. This is mine, and I doot not therell be some siller intilt.
Goold! cried Davy, with dilated eyes, as his comrade emptied the contents into his large hand, and counted over thirty sovereigns.
Ay, lad, ye can keep the what-dye-ca-ums, and Ill keep the siller.
Ive seen that face before, observed Spink, looking intently at the body.
Like enough, said Swankie, with an air of indifference, as he put the gold into his pocket. I think Ive seed it mysel. It looks like auld Jamie Brand, but I didna ken him weel.
Its just him, said Spink, with a touch of sadness. Ay, ay, thatll fa heavy on the auld woman. But, come, itll no do to stand haverin this way. Lets see what else is on him.
They found nothing more of any value; but a piece of paper was discovered, wrapped up in oilskin, and carefully fastened with red tape, in the vest pocket of the dead man. It contained writing, and had been so securely wrapped up, that it was only a little damped. Davy Spink, who found it, tried in vain to read the writing; Davys education had been neglected, so he was fain to confess that he could not make it out.
Let me seet, said Swankie. What hae we here? The sloop is hard anan
Fast, maybe, suggested Spink.
Ay, so tis. I canna make out the next word, but heres something about the jewel-case.
The man paused and gazed earnestly at the paper for a few minutes, with a look of perplexity on his rugged visage.
Weel, man, what ist? enquired Davy.
Hoot! I canna mak it oot, said the other, testily, as if annoyed at being unable to read it. He refolded the paper and thrust it into his bosom, saying, Come, were wastin time. Lets get on wi our wark.
Toss for the jewels and the siller, said Spink, suggestively.
Very weel, replied the other, producing a copper. Heeds, you win the siller; tails, I win the box;heeds it is, so the kickshaws is mine. Weel, Im content, he added, as he handed the bag of gold to his comrade, and received the jewel-case in exchange.
In another hour the sea began to encroach on the rock, and the fishermen, having collected as much as time would permit of the wrecked materials, returned to their boat.
They had secured altogether above two hundredweight of old metal,namely, a large piece of a ships caboose, a hinge, a lock of a door, a ships marking-iron, a soldiers bayonet, a cannon ball, a shoebuckle, and a small anchor, besides part of the cordage of the wreck, and the money and jewels before mentioned. Placing the heavier of these things in the bottom of the boat, they pushed off.
We better take the corp ashore, said Spink, suddenly.
What for? They may ask what was in the pockets, objected Swankie.
Let them ask, rejoined the other, with a grin.
Swankie made no reply, but gave a stroke with his oar which sent the boat close up to the rocks. They both relanded in silence, and, lifting the dead body of the old man, laid it in the stern-sheets of the boat. Once more they pushed off.
Too much delay had been already made. The surf was breaking over the ledges in all directions, and it was with the utmost difficulty that they succeeded in getting clear out into deep water. A breeze which had sprung up from the east, tended to raise the sea a little, but when they finally got away from the dangerous reef, the breeze befriended them. Hoisting the foresail, they quickly left the Bell Rock far behind them, and, in the course of a couple of hours, sailed into the harbour of Arbroath.
Chapter Two
The Lovers and the Press-Gang