Chapter X: The Excursion to Lockstone

DICK returned to Norton Island that afternoon, and went to work at the quarries on the following morning. He thought of nothing all day but the bright sovereigns he had seen Miss Pringle handle so carefully. If he had so many, how he would enjoy himself; money commanded everything, and it was hard that so much should lie idle at the top of an old woman's cupboard. At last, he envied Tom his situation, for if he had lived with Miss Pringle, he might have had some chance of getting at her hoard. Yet Dick knew there was only one way of possessing it, and that was to steal. He did not want to risk imprisonment, but if sure of escaping detection, he would have been glad enough to get the money into his hands.

When Saturday came, he resolved to go to Dixtown. Tom would shelter him again. He could be persuaded to do anything.

"And if," said Dick to himself, "if I see my way clear to turn him out, and turn myself in, I'll do it."

As his plans were uncertain, he told his stepmother that there was no chance of work at the quarries for a week, so he meant to try after a job at Dixtown harbour, and might be absent several days.

It was late in the afternoon before Dick was able to get a lift over to Dixtown. Just as he reached the High Street, he spied Tom in the distance, who had been to the grocer's for his mistress.

"How lucky I am to come across you so soon," said Dick, tapping his friend on the shoulder. "I'm here on purpose to see you."

Tom did not appear very glad to meet Dick. "I thought you'd got a situation," he said.

"It ended in smoke. I've been home, but felt so dull without you, I've come back. We'll have an afternoon together to-morrow, and go to Lockstone to fish. The tide will just suit for us to walk there and back on the sands. I'll sleep in the kitchen to-night as I did before."

Tom's face fell. "I can't let you in again, Dick," he said, but in a hesitating tone of voice. "I really can't, it's so risky; and I daren't go out with you to-morrow, for if we were to be late home, Miss Pringle would send me away."

"Stuff, Tom, as if a boy like you, who knows every turn of the tide, is likely to be late. They say Lockstone is splendid, and it's quite a short walk by the sands; and it's a new place for both of us. You will enjoy a run after being shut up all the week."

Dick could act the part of tempter to perfection, and Tom was not proof against his wiles. "If I was sure we should get home in time, I shouldn't mind going," he answered.

"Of course you will; I'll take good care of that."

"But I can't let you sleep in the kitchen, Dick, even if I do go to Lockstone."

"What nonsense, Tom, I think you're turning quite silly. Expect me at ten o'clock," and Dick walked quickly away in an opposite direction.

The above conversation gave him food for thought. It was evident that Tom was afraid of forfeiting his place if he were after time on Sunday evening. Why could he not devise some means to keep him out so late that Miss Pringle would dismiss him, and then he might apply for the situation?

Tom admitted him as before, but this time they were in fear of detection, for Dick stumbled and fell, and the noise he made must have been heard by Miss Pringle, had she not at that moment been standing on a high stool inside the cupboard. Tom shook in every limb, and even his companion was frightened. They listened for some minutes, but all was perfectly still, so Tom went to his bed, and Dick pretended to lie down. The latter made several attempts to go up-stairs, but every time he came near to Tom, he heard him moving, so he dare not; and when he felt that he might venture because Tom was snoring, all was dark and still in Miss Pringle's room.

Tom breathed a sigh of relief when Dick was out of the house next morning; but he no longer had misgivings about the excursion to Lockstone, for his friend had dilated on their prospective enjoyment until he fully entered into the plan. He was well pleased, too, that Dick did not ask him if he might sleep there a second night; he had said at parting, "I shan't come again Tom, for I see it worries you. I think I know a fellow who will give me a bed, just for once."

Tom accompanied his mistress to church, but his thoughts were at Lockstone, and occupied in making arrangements which had reference to his afternoon outing. He was a little puzzled to make up his mind whether he had better tell Mother Crampton he was engaged to Dick and could not stay tea with her, or make an excuse when he saw her. He decided on the latter course.

So soon as dinner was over, he went to his room and put on his every-day suit quietly. Then taking his cap, he walked down the passage to the front door without going into the kitchen again.

Miss Pringle heard him, and called out, "Mind you're home punctually, Tom."

To which he replied, "I'll be here."

"You're very exact to time," said Dick, who was waiting just out of sight. "I've brought a net with me, for we may as well catch some fish, and I begged a loaf in case we should be hungry, from a fisherman I know."

The day was warm and fine, and when the boys were fairly on the way their spirits rose, and they laughed and talked gaily. Though the tide was running out, they had to climb over high boulders, and scale deep pools in order to get along. Lockstone Point was about two miles from Dixtown; it ran out for some distance into the sea, and was formed of rocks of all shapes and sizes, tilted up on edge. Some of them made little islands, round which the waves splashed and foamed, and all of them were thickly covered with mussels, while the deep pools were rich in corallines, anemones, sea-weed, and crustacea of every description.

Tom forgot it was Sunday, forgot his conversation with Mother Crampton, forgot that he was tying, and not untying, knots, forgot all but a sense of intense enjoyment at once more returning to his old life.

It was five o'clock before they reached the Point, for they loitered by the way, trying to catch shrimps and turning over the great jelly fish that were strewn about the sands. At Lockstone, they found full grown crabs, and netted so many prawns in the pools that they each had enough tied up in their pocket-handkerchiefs to furnish a large dish.

"We mustn't stay here too long," said Tom. "I think we'd really better be off now. We shall have nice time to get up the cliffs by the pathway yonder, and home by the lanes, without hurrying ourselves."

"We've lots of time to walk by the shore," replied Dick.

"I tell you I'd rather not venture," answered Tom.

"And I tell you it's nonsense. I hate the lanes; there's nothing to do; and there's no end of amusement by the sea. Come along, I'll lead the way."

Tom thought it looked very tempting.

"Be quick," shouted Dick. "There's plenty of time if you come directly. The tide isn't nearly up."

Still Tom hesitated, but finally allowed himself, as usual, to be led as his companion willed.

"All right," he said, "but mind I'm going ahead. I'm not going to stop and dawdle about."

Dick allowed him to have his way until he had passed one or two difficulties in the shape of jutting points of rock, which were covered by the waves at high water; and then he began to call Tom's attention to one object after another. At length, they reached a cave with a deep pool in it, and a narrow ledge of rock on either side.

"Let's go along here," said Dick; "we shall find plenty of crabs in the crevices of the rock."

Tom had not noticed the cave on the way to Lockstone, and it offered great attractions to him, so he walked along the narrow ledge, followed by his friend. When they had penetrated so far in as was prudent, and were turning round to go back again, Dick, apparently by accident, but really intentionally, tripped him up and sent him sprawling into the water. He had some difficulty in scrambling out again, and was thoroughly wet through.

Dick pretended to be very sorry, and helped him to take off his coat and waistcoat. The tide was coming in faster than either of them knew. Dick only discovered it just in time to warn Tom, and drag him, coat and waistcoat in hand, on to a place of safety, when a great wave dashed in, and covered the ledge on which they had been standing five minutes before.

"We're well out of that," exclaimed Dick. "I don't know where it would have swept us to."

The boys were now on a rock out of reach of the water; it was a point rarely covered, except in time of storm, and it stood at the base of a perpendicular cliff.

"Here's a pretty go," called out Tom, who had been looking anxiously, first on one side, and then on the other. "I believe we're tide-bound."

"That we are," answered his companion. "We certainly can't pass the next point. I don't care about myself, but I'm sorry for you, because of Miss Pringle." And Dick really looked quite vexed, though he was secretly rejoicing over the great success of his plan.

Tom's face expressed his disappointment. "How stupid I was not to go straight up from Lockstone," he said. "It's your fault, Dick, for persuading me to come back by the shore."

"It's yours, Tom, for you fell into the pool, and hindered our getting on."

Nothing was to be gained by quarrelling, for it was impossible to pass the points on either side, and there was no way up the cliff between Lockstone and a fishing village close to Dixtown, so Tom was obliged to wait.

"Don't put on your coat, old fellow," said Dick. "Dry it now. I declare, here's a tiny cave just below; let's creep into it, and sleep here."

"No, that I won't," answered Tom, resolutely. "I'm sure it isn't eight o'clock; by ten the tide may have turned enough for us to get on again."

"Miss Pringle will never let you in. Fancy her sitting up for you."

"I'll try at any rate, whatever you may say," replied Tom, angrily.

"Don't put yourself into a temper," retorted Dick. "You shall have your own way; but I say she won't let you in."

It was after midnight when they reached Dixtown. They were far out in their calculations of the tide, for they really knew nothing of the state of the shore on that side of the bay.

Dick accompanied Tom to Miss Pringle's house, and waited to see if he could gain admission. He knocked once, twice, and thrice, before Mr. Newton opened his window, and said, "I'm sorry I can't let you in, but Miss Pringle has forbidden it."

"Come along, we shall find an empty boat by the harbour, Tom. It's no use attempting to get in anywhere. It won't be the first time in your life that you've slept in the open air."

And Dick led the way, followed by his crest-fallen companion.