"Well, it seems so," said the admiral; "for I'll be hanged if I can make
head or tail of the fellow." "If we value our personal safety, we shall hesitate to continue a
perilous adventure which I think can end only in defeat, if not in
death." "But we don't value our personal safety," said the admiral. "We've got
into the adventure, and I don't see why we shouldn't carry it out. It
may be growing a little serious; but what of that? For the sake of that
young girl, Flora Bannerworth, as well as for the sake of my nephew,
Charles Holland, I will see the end of this affair, let it be what it
may; but mind you, Mr. Chillingworth, if one man chooses to go upon a
desperate service, that's no reason why he should ask another to do so." "I understand you," said Mr. Chillingworth; "but, having commenced the
adventure with you, I am not the man to desert you in it. We have
committed a great mistake." "A mistake! how?" "Why, we ought to have watched outside the house, instead of within it. There can be no doubt that if we had lain in wait in the garden, we
should have been in a better position to have accomplished our object." "Well, I don't know, doctor, but it seems to me that if Jack Pringle
hadn't made such a fool of himself, we should have managed very well:
and I don't know now how he came to behave in the manner he did." "Nor I," said Mr. Chillingworth. "But, at all events, so far as the
result goes, it is quite clear that any further watching, in this house,
for the appearance of Sir Francis Varney, will now be in vain. He has
nothing to do now but to keep quiet until we are tired out--a fact,
concerning which he can easily obtain information--and then he
immediately, without trouble, walks into the premises, to his own
satisfaction." "But what the deuce can he want upon the premises?" "That question, admiral, induces me to think that we have made another
mistake. We ought not to have attempted to surprise Sir Francis Varney
in coming into Bannerworth Hall, but to catch him as he came out." [Illustration]

"Well, there's something in that," said the admiral. "This is a pretty
night's business, to be sure. However, it can't be helped, it's done,
and there's an end on't. And now, as the morning is near at hand, I
certainly must confess I should like to get some breakfast, although I
don't like that we should all leave the house together"

"Why," said Mr. Chillingworth, "as we have now no secret to keep with
regard to our being here, because the principal person we wished to keep
it from is aware of it, I think we cannot do better than send at once
for Henry Bannerworth, tell him of the non-success of the effort we have
made in his behalf, and admit him at once into our consultation of what
is next to be done." "Agreed, agreed, I think that, without troubling him, we might have
captured this Varney; but that's over now, and, as soon as Jack Pringle
chooses to wake up again, I'll send him to the Bannerworths with a
message." "Ay, ay, sir," said Jack, suddenly; "all's right." "Why, you vagabond," said the admiral, "I do believe you've been
shamming!" "Shamming what?" "Being drunk, to be sure." "Lor! couldn't do it," said Jack; "I'll just tell you how it was. I
wakened up and found myself shut in somewhere; and, as I couldn't get
out of the door, I thought I'd try the window, and there I did get out. Well, perhaps I wasn't quite the thing, but I sees two people in the
garden a looking up at this ere room; and, to be sure, I thought it was
you and the doctor. Well, it warn't no business of mine to interfere, so
I seed one of you climb up the balcony, as I thought, and then, after
which, come down head over heels with such a run, that I thought you
must have broken your neck. Well, after that you fired a couple of shots
in, and then, after that, I made sure it was you, admiral." "And what made you make sure of that?" "Why, because you scuttled away like an empty tar-barrel in full tide." "Confound you, you scoundrel!" "Well, then, confound you, if it comes to that. I thought I was doing
you good sarvice, and that the enemy was here, when all the while it
turned out as you was and the enemy wasn't, and the enemy was outside
and you wasn't." "But who threw such a confounded lot of things into the room?" "Why, I did, of course; I had but one pistol, and, when I fired that
off, I was forced to make up a broadside with what I could." "Was there ever such a stupid!" said the admiral; "doctor, doctor, you
talked of us making two mistakes; but you forgot a third and worse one
still, and that was the bringing such a lubberly son of a sea-cook into
the place as this fellow." "You're another," said Jack; "and you knows it." "Well, well," said Mr. Chillingworth, "it's no use continuing it,
admiral; Jack, in his way, did, I dare say, what he considered for the
best." "I wish he'd do, then, what he considers for the worst, next time." "Perhaps I may," said Jack, "and then you will be served out above a
bit. What 'ud become of you, I wonder, if it wasn't for me? I'm as good
as a mother to you, you knows that, you old babby." "Come, come, admiral," said Mr. Chillingworth: "come down to the
garden-gate; it is now just upon daybreak, and the probability is that
we shall not be long there before we see some of the country people, who
will get us anything we require in the shape of refreshment; and as for
Jack, he seems quite sufficiently recovered now to go to the
Bannerworths'." "Oh! I can go," said Jack; "as for that, the only thing as puts me out
of the way is the want of something to drink. My constitution won't
stand what they call temperance living, or nothing with the chill off." "Go at once," said the admiral, "and tell Mr. Henry Bannerworth that we
are here; but do not tell him before his sister or his mother. If you
meet anybody on the road, send them here with a cargo of victuals. It
strikes me that a good, comfortable breakfast wouldn't be at all amiss,
doctor." "How rapidly the day dawns," remarked Mr. Chillingworth, as he walked
into the balcony from whence Varney, the vampire, had attempted to make
good his entrance to the Hall. Just as he spoke, and before Jack Pringle could get half way over to the
garden gate, there came a tremendous ring at the bell which was
suspended over it. A view of that gate could not be commanded from the window of the
haunted apartment, so that they could not see who it was that demanded
admission. As Jack Pringle was going down at any rate, they saw no necessity for
personal interference; and he proved that there was not, by presently
returning with a note which he said had been thrown over the gate by a
lad, who then scampered off with all the speed he could make. The note, exteriorly, was well got up, and had all the appearance of
great care having been bestowed upon its folding and sealing. It was duly addressed to "Admiral Bell, Bannerworth Hall," and the word
"immediate" was written at one corner.