Nothing.

Robert Emmerson, your vengeance is as terrible as it is unceasing in its action.

Hunston sought the widow of Mathias.

"I have made good progress, Diana," he said, "for I have learnt enough about the enemy to make sure of getting some of them at least into our power."

The listener's eyes glistened at the words.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"What do you propose to do, then? Tell me."

"Harkaway has a son--a mere youth."

"I know it."

"Well, this boy is a dare-devil, bold and fearless lad; nothing can daunt him. He is, in fact, what his hated father was when first I knew him, years and years ago."

A faint and half-suppressed sigh escaped him as he uttered this.

"What of this boy?"

"This boy has a companion called Harry Girdwood."

"Well."

"Well, these two boys are to be trapped, if it be gone about carefully --very carefully, mark you."

"That can be done, of course."

"It can--by you."

Diana stared again at this.

"By me?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Listen. They pay a certain respect to us--hold us in some fear, in fact--and the boys, who are regular rovers, like their parents and friends, have only permission to cruise about in their little yacht."

"How did you learn this?"

"From Marietta, the servant of the Harkaways."

"Hah!"

"Now, with care, the boys might be lured, perhaps, away from the part of the coast which they know, and let them once touch the sh.o.r.e out of sight and hearing of their friends--"

"I see, I see," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the widow of Mathias. "I can entrap them, I believe. But tell me first, what is the object of securing these two boys?"

"The object!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Hunston. "Why, surely that is clear enough.

Let us once get hold of them, and we can make any terms we like with the father and friends. We shall have to dictate the conditions, and Harkaway will have no choice but to accept them."

"I see, I see," cried Diana, excitedly. "Leave the rest to me; I'll undertake to get them into our power."

"How?"

"No matter how; you have done your share of the business. Be mine the task to secure the rest."

"When?"

"To-morrow."

"Good!" said Hunston, gleefully, "good! I feel a presentiment of luck.

I'm not superst.i.tious, but I feel as certain now that we shall succeed --as certain as if the boys were already in our power."

"They shall be," returned the woman, solemnly, "they shall be. I swear it!"

CHAPTER XIX.

JACK AND HARRY GIRDWOOD AFLOAT--THE SQUALL--THE SHIPWRECKED BOY--DEEDS OF HEROISM--THEIR REWARD--A DEADLY PERIL.

"Down with sail, Jack; we shall be over if we are not sprightly," said Harry.

Young Jack laughed.

The thought of danger actually made him merry, and so proved that he was every inch a Harkaway--a thorough chip of the old block.

"There's no fear, old fellow," he said.

A sudden gust of wind caught the sail, and caused the boat to give such a lurch at this very moment that both the boys were sent flying.

They got some hard knocks.

But neither was afraid of a little rough usage, and so they only scrambled to their feet, laughing boisterously, as if there was great fun in barked shins and bruised arms.

"I told you so, Jack," said Harry Girdwood.