She had evidently heard the men as well as he.

They passed near him, talking in loud and careless tones, which could be heard above the uninterrupted washings of the sea, and which suggested that they were not engaged in any business at their own risk.

This proved to be the fact: some of their words floated across to him, and caused him to forget at once the coldness of his situation.
'What's the vessel ?' 'A lugger, about fifty tons.' 'From Cherbourg, I suppose ?' 'Yes, 'a b'lieve.' 'But it don't all belong to Owlett ?' 'O no.

He's only got a share.

There's another or two in it--a farmer and such like, but the names I don't know.' The voices died away, and the heads and shoulders of the men diminished towards the cliff, and dropped out of sight.
'My darling has been tempted to buy a share by that unbeliever Owlett,' groaned the minister, his honest affection for Lizzy having quickened to its intensest point during these moments of risk to her person and name.
'That's why she's here,' he said to himself.