London, my most kindly nurse'? Our greatest poets have lived in or near London —Shakespeare, Milton, Dryden, Pope."
"There, Kit, that's one for you," laughed Mr. Bulteel. "I must believe it, as Passon Drew tells us so. How delighted old Tregony was to see you, Drew. He knew you in a moment. But he has a wonderful memory for faces. I have noticed it often."
They were now some distance from the town, sailing abreast of the dark wall of cliffs which ran to the south-west from the harbour as far as St. Mawan Point, a rugged promontory sheltering the town on that side as the headland did on the other. Marjorie had been very silent. She was sitting in the bows, breathing deep of the strong sea air, and letting her eyes wander at will over the glorious prospect before her.
A cry of delight broke from her lips as they passed St. Mawan Point, and the lovely line of coast lay before her, headland after headland, point after point, as far as St. Ives Bay.
Mr. Bulteel was delighted at her enthusiasm. He had the Cornishman's pride in the beauty of his country very strongly developed, and poor Kitty, who was of Dr. Johnson's opinion, and thought a London street better to look at than the most beautiful country view, and felt depressed and frightened at those dark towering cliffs her uncle loved so, was reckoned by him as an empty-headed little Cockney, whose opinions deserved to be laughed at. But Marjorie was a girl after his own heart, and he took delight in pointing out to her the various headlands, and telling her the different traditions that clung about them.
But it was on Blackdown Point Marjorie's eyes fixed themselves most eagerly. They were now approaching it; she could see the gulls flying round the bare rocky islet, which had once formed the extremity of the Point, but now was separated from it by a space of foaming water. The Point ran out some distance, sloping gently upward, clothed with heather and short close grass delightful to walk on, and then breaking sheer away in a mighty cliff, impossible for human foot.
It was over this cliff that Black Jasper was said to have pushed his brother, and Marjorie shivered as the boat ran into the deep shadow behind the rocky islet, and she looked up at the towering heights above her. It was only half-tide, and there was still a margin of yellow sand between the water and the rocks; Mr. Drew and the girls were able to land without difficulty. It was only when the sea was very calm that the Point could be approached at all by a boat, Mr. Bulteel told them.
"But nobody ever comes here now, though fifty years ago it was a rare hiding-place for smuggled goods. But there isn't a fisherman in St. Mawan now who will come near it. Since—" He was about to make some reference to Mr. Vyvyan's murder, but checked himself. "I dare say there hasn't been a boat here for years," he added. "Now you must be quick, girls, if you want to see the big cave. The tide waits for nobody."
Kitty hung back a little. But for her dislike to be alone with her uncle she would have refused to enter the cave at all. Marjorie understood that she was really frightened, and that her shivers were not all affectation, as Mr. Bulteel believed. She held her thin little hand tight in her warm strong fingers.
"I won't leave you a minute, Kitty," she said, falling naturally into the position of the leader and protector. And Kitty clung to her, glad to be taken care of, and forgetting altogether her attitude of patronage. And it was from that moment she began to be really fond of Marjorie.
The cave was entered by a narrow passage between high rocks, dank and green with seaweed. The passage was very narrow and low at first; Mr. Drew, who went in front, carrying a lighted candle, was unable to walk upright in places. But presently it grew higher and began to broaden out, and in a few moments they emerged into a great cave floored with fine yellow sand, and with a roof too high to be seen by the light of a solitary
"There, Kit, that's one for you," laughed Mr. Bulteel. "I must believe it, as Passon Drew tells us so. How delighted old Tregony was to see you, Drew. He knew you in a moment. But he has a wonderful memory for faces. I have noticed it often."
They were now some distance from the town, sailing abreast of the dark wall of cliffs which ran to the south-west from the harbour as far as St. Mawan Point, a rugged promontory sheltering the town on that side as the headland did on the other. Marjorie had been very silent. She was sitting in the bows, breathing deep of the strong sea air, and letting her eyes wander at will over the glorious prospect before her.
A cry of delight broke from her lips as they passed St. Mawan Point, and the lovely line of coast lay before her, headland after headland, point after point, as far as St. Ives Bay.
Mr. Bulteel was delighted at her enthusiasm. He had the Cornishman's pride in the beauty of his country very strongly developed, and poor Kitty, who was of Dr. Johnson's opinion, and thought a London street better to look at than the most beautiful country view, and felt depressed and frightened at those dark towering cliffs her uncle loved so, was reckoned by him as an empty-headed little Cockney, whose opinions deserved to be laughed at. But Marjorie was a girl after his own heart, and he took delight in pointing out to her the various headlands, and telling her the different traditions that clung about them.
But it was on Blackdown Point Marjorie's eyes fixed themselves most eagerly. They were now approaching it; she could see the gulls flying round the bare rocky islet, which had once formed the extremity of the Point, but now was separated from it by a space of foaming water. The Point ran out some distance, sloping gently upward, clothed with heather and short close grass delightful to walk on, and then breaking sheer away in a mighty cliff, impossible for human foot.
It was over this cliff that Black Jasper was said to have pushed his brother, and Marjorie shivered as the boat ran into the deep shadow behind the rocky islet, and she looked up at the towering heights above her. It was only half-tide, and there was still a margin of yellow sand between the water and the rocks; Mr. Drew and the girls were able to land without difficulty. It was only when the sea was very calm that the Point could be approached at all by a boat, Mr. Bulteel told them.
"But nobody ever comes here now, though fifty years ago it was a rare hiding-place for smuggled goods. But there isn't a fisherman in St. Mawan now who will come near it. Since—" He was about to make some reference to Mr. Vyvyan's murder, but checked himself. "I dare say there hasn't been a boat here for years," he added. "Now you must be quick, girls, if you want to see the big cave. The tide waits for nobody."
Kitty hung back a little. But for her dislike to be alone with her uncle she would have refused to enter the cave at all. Marjorie understood that she was really frightened, and that her shivers were not all affectation, as Mr. Bulteel believed. She held her thin little hand tight in her warm strong fingers.
"I won't leave you a minute, Kitty," she said, falling naturally into the position of the leader and protector. And Kitty clung to her, glad to be taken care of, and forgetting altogether her attitude of patronage. And it was from that moment she began to be really fond of Marjorie.
The cave was entered by a narrow passage between high rocks, dank and green with seaweed. The passage was very narrow and low at first; Mr. Drew, who went in front, carrying a lighted candle, was unable to walk upright in places. But presently it grew higher and began to broaden out, and in a few moments they emerged into a great cave floored with fine yellow sand, and with a roof too high to be seen by the light of a solitary
Similar Books
