"Can't be done, ma'am," said the man, staring, "not without wings."

"Row hard," said Mrs. Chalk, in a voice of sharp encouragement.

The boatman, a man of few words, jerked his thumb in the direction of the
_Fair Emily,_ which was already responding to the motion of the sea
outside.

"You run up the road on to them cliffs and wave to'em," he said, slowly.
"Wave 'ard."

Mrs. Chalk hesitated, and then, stepping out of the boat, resumed the
pursuit by land. Ten minutes' hurried walking brought them to the
cliffs, and standing boldly on the verge she enacted, to the great
admiration of a small crowd, the part of a human semaphore.

[Illustration: "She enacted, to the great admiration of a small crowd,
the part of a human semaphore."]

The schooner, her bows pointing gradually seawards, for some time made no
sign. Then a little group clustered at the stern and waved farewells.