Chapter 24

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_ CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

Aleck resigned himself to the smuggler's guiding hand, which gripped his arm tightly, and as the giddy sensation began to pass off and he saw more clearly, he grasped the position in which he stood--to wit, that he was upon another ledge of rock, apparently another stratum of the great slowly-built-up masses which formed the mighty cliffs, one, however, which had been eaten away more by the action of time, so that it was much more deeply indented, while the upper stratum from which he had dropped overlapped considerably, save in one place, where this lower shelf projected in a rocky tongue, which resembled a huge bracket, and a cold shiver ran through the lad as he saw now fully the perilous nature of his leap.

"Haven't found out the way yet," said Eben, coolly; "but when they do they won't find out which way we've come. What do you say, sir?"

"Oh, no!" said Aleck, trying to conceal a shiver. "But what a horrible leap!"

"Nothing when you're used to it, sir. All right if you keep your head, and safe from being found out."

"But suppose anyone were on the opposite side?"

"No good to suppose that, master. Nothing ever comes there but the gulls and mews, with a few sea parrots. Nobody could get there without being let down by a line, and the birds never nest there, so it's quite safe. Now, then, if you're ready we'll go down."

"Go down?"

"Yes, my lad; this is the way down to the shore."

"With an opening to the sea?" said Aleck, eagerly, for his curiosity was beginning to overcome the tension caused by the shock his nerves had suffered.

The smuggler laughed.

"Well, you're asking a good deal, youngster," he said, "but it's of no use for me to play at hide-and-seek with you now. Yes; there's a way open to the sea just for 'bout an hour at some tides. Then it's shut up again by the water, and that's what makes it so safe."

Half a dozen more questions were bubbling up towards his lips, but the smuggler made a movement and Aleck felt that the best way to satisfy his curiosity would be to remain silent and use his eyes as much as he could.

He was gazing sharply round, to see nothing that suggested a way down to the sea but the great gully beneath his feet, when he became aware of the fact that Eben was watching him quietly with a dry, amused look in his eyes.

"Well," he said, "can you find it now?" Aleck shook his head.

"Come along, then."

The smuggler took a few steps along beside the great wall on their right, and Aleck followed closely, till his companion stopped short and faced him.

"Well," he said, "see it now?"

"No," said Aleck.

"Look back, then."

The lad turned, and found that without noticing it he had passed a spot where a great piece of rock terminated in a sharp edge, which overlapped a portion of the wall, and as he looked in the direction from which he had come there was a wide opening, quite six feet in height, looking as if a portion of the rock had scaled off the main mass, forming an opening some three feet wide, and remained fixed. Into this the lad stepped at once, shutting out a portion of the light, and for a few moments it seemed to him that the place ended some seven or eight feet from the entrance; but as he ran his left hand along the wall for safety and guidance, he found that instead of its being solid wall upon his left, he had been touching a mere sheet of stone, which screened another opening leading back to the original direction. Upon holding tight and peering round a sharp corner Aleck found that he was gazing into black darkness; but a breath of cool, moist air and the peculiar odour told their own tale of what was beyond, and to endorse this came the soft, sighing, whispering rush of waves sweeping over pebbles far enough below.

"Now you know the way down, my lad," said Eben.

"Yes, I suppose I do."

"But even if you'd found it all by yourself I suppose you wouldn't have ventured down."

"What, into that horrible cavern?"

"'Tarn't a horrible cavern, my lad, only a sort of a dark passage going straight down for a bit. Had enough, or will you come further?"

"I'll come, of course," said the lad, firmly.

"All right, then. That's right; there's nothing to be afraid of. You do as I do."

It was a faint twilight now where the pair were standing, with a dark forbidding chasm just in front, and Aleck was longing for a lanthorn, which he half expected to see the smuggler produce. But instead of doing so he stepped suddenly into the darkness.

"Now, then," he said, "you'll do as I do. It's nothing to what you did just now in jumping, for there's no danger; only that looked better, for it was in the light. This is in the darkness. That was straight down; this is only a slope, and you'll hear me slide. I'll tell you when to come after me."

"I understand," said Aleck; and then suddenly, "What's that?"

"What's what, my lad?"

"It felt as if something soft had come right up in my face."

"Wind," said the smuggler.

"But it's blowing the back of my head now, just as if something touched me," said Aleck, in a husky voice.

"Yes, I know," said the smuggler. "It's just as if little soft snaky fingers were feeling about your head."

"Yes, just like that," said Aleck, in a husky whisper. "I don't think it could be the wind."

"Yes, it is. That's right; only the wind, my lad. The cave's sucking because the sea keeps on opening and shutting the mouth at this time of the tide, and one minute the air's rushing in here and the next it's rushing out. Now do you see?"

"Yes, I think so," said Aleck.

"Then here goes."

Through the dim light the boy now saw his companion's face for a few moments, and then the smuggler turned round, took another step, spread out his arms to grasp the rocky sides, and the next minute there was a low rustling sound and a puff of wind struck the lad in the face, followed by silence.

"Are you there, Eben?" said Aleck, softly.

"Right, my lad. Now, then, you don't want no more teaching. Do as I did, and come down."

"How far is it?" said Aleck, hesitating.

"Eight or nine fathom, my lad. Never measured it. Ready?"

"Yes," said the lad, and setting his teeth hard he pressed his hands against the wall on either side, felt about with one foot, drew the other up to it, and then let go and began to slide down a steep slope, the passage taking away his breath, so that he was panting hard when his heels met with a sudden check and the smuggler's voice, sounding like a hollow whisper, said:

"Bottom o' this bit."

"What, is there any more?" faltered Aleck.

"Lots," said the man, laughing. "It's only a great ziggery-zag crack running right through the rock from top to bottom. There's nothing to mind, as you'd see if we'd got the lanthorn. They were so close after me that I hadn't time to get the one I left up yonder in the cliffs. Now, then, I'm going down again. It's quite dry, and worn smooth with all sorts of things coming up and folk like us going down. Just the same as before, my lad. I calls it Jacob's Ladder. Natur' made a good deal on it, and my grandfathers, fathers, and us lot finished it a bit at a time and made it what it is."

There was a rushing sound directly after, and the smuggler's voice next time he spoke came from a lower stage.

Aleck followed again with more confidence that he would not plunge into some horrible well-like hole full of water with he knew not what horrible, eel-like creatures waiting to attack him. This time the slide down felt comparatively easy, while at another angle of the zigzag, as he followed his unseen guide, Aleck actually began to think that such a way of progression must be bad for the clothes.

"You'll have to ease yourself down this next one," said Eben, as he was starting for the next descent; "it's a bit steeper. Let your hands run along the wall over your head, just touching it, and that'll be enough. Don't shove hard, or you'll be taking the skin off."

"I'll mind," said Aleck, rather hoarsely.

"What's the matter?" said the man.

"I've hurt my head a little against the roof."

"Humph!" grunted the smuggler. "Forgot to tell you about that bit. It's the only place where you can touch the top, and you run agen it. Hurt yerself much?"

"No."

"Then come on."

The rather swift descent was accomplished more easily than Aleck anticipated, and he slid down into a pair of hands.

"Now, then, the next bit's diff'rent," said the smuggler. "You'll sit down on your heels like to slide, but it arn't steep, and every now and then you'll have to give yerself a bit of a shove to help yer down to the next bit, and that's worse still."

"Worse?" said Aleck, trying to suppress a catching of the breath; but the smuggler detected it.

"Not what you think bad," he said, with a hoarse chuckle, "but what we call bad. You have to walk all the way."

"And there are no side places where you might slip into?"

"Not half o' one, my lad. There was a nasty hole at the bottom of the next but one, that seemed to go right down to the end of the world. P'raps it did, but we brought up big bits o' rock till some on 'em caught and got wedged into niches, and then we kept on till we filled it up level, and you wouldn't know it's there. Now, then, let's get down."

"Stop a moment," said Aleck. "I don't feel the wind coming and going now. Have we got below where it comes in?"

"Not us. The tide's up above the mouth now, and there'll be no wind to feel till next tide. Here's off."

The rustling began, and the two next portions of the strange zigzag series of cleft were passed down easily enough, while, as he descended a couple more, Aleck felt how smoothly floor and sides were worn and carved, and began to dwell upon the time that must have elapsed and the industry bestowed upon the curious passage by the smugglers, who had by virtue of their oaths and their interest in the place kept it a secret for generations.

"I wonder how many more there are," Aleck was thinking as he glided down, when all at once Eben said, loudly:

"Bottom! Stand fast, my lad, while I get a light."

"That you, you scoundrel?" came in a strange echoing voice from a distance.

"Ay, ay, this is me," replied the smuggler. "I'll be there soon."

There was silence, for, though eager to speak to the prisoner, Aleck concluded that he had better wait, and not commence his first meeting with the prisoner in the character of one of his enemies.

The next minute there was the rattle of iron or tin, and then a short, sharp, nicking sound began, accompanied by a display of flowery little sparks. At the end of a minute the frowning face of the smuggler was lit up as he blew softly at the tinder, into which a spark had fallen and caught; the light increased, and as a brimstone match was applied to the incandescent tinder, the brimstone melted, bubbled, and began to turn blue. Then the splint of wood beneath began to burn, and at last emitted a blaze, which was communicated to the wick of the candle. This, too, began to burn, and then the door of the lanthorn was closed.

"There we are," said the smuggler. "Now let's go and see our bird."

Aleck made no reply, for his eyes were wandering over all that the feeble light of the dim horn lanthorn threw up; and very little though this was at a time, it was enough to fill the lad with wonder. For as far as he could make out, they were in a vast cavern, whose floor about where they stood supported stacks of kegs and piles of boxes and bales. There was also a tremendous collection of wood, the most part being evidently the gatherings of wrecks, and in addition there were the fittings of vessel after vessel, so various in fact that Aleck hurriedly turned away his eyes, to gaze with something like a shiver at the reflection of the lanthorn in a far-stretching mirror of intense blackness which lay smooth and undisturbed, save in one part away to his left, where it was blurred and dimmed, rising and falling as if moved by some undercurrent.

"Water," he said, at last, as the smuggler raised up his lanthorn and smiled.

"Yes, and plenty of it."

"But where's the mouth of the cave?"

"Over yonder," said the man, pointing towards where the surface was in motion.

"Let's walk towards it with the lanthorn," said Aleck.

"Why, my lad?"

"I want to see the daylight again."

"But we couldn't get far along there with the tide up, and even if we could you wouldn't see the mouth of the cave."

"Why not?" asked Aleck.

"Because it's under water."

"Never mind; hold up the lanthorn, and let me see what I can."

"Then I'd better hide it or shut it," said Eben, and, setting the lanthorn down upon the rocky floor, he slipped off his rough jacket and covered the lanthorn so that not a ray of light could be seen escaping through the panes of thinly-scraped horn.

To the lad's wonderment, no sooner was the lanthorn hidden than instead of the place being intensely dark, it was lit up by a soft translucent twilight, which seemed to rise out of the water where it was disturbed. This light, where the water was wreathing and swaying softly, was of a delicious, transparent blue, and by degrees, as he gazed in awe and wonder, a low archway could be made out spanning a considerable space, but beautifully indistinct, festooned as it was by filaments and ribands of seaweed and wrack, all apparently of a jetty black, seen through water of a wondrous blue. But the whole archway was in motion, as it seemed, and constantly changing its shape, while the sea growth swayed and curved and undulated, and at times lay out straight, as if swept by some swift current.

"Is it always like this?" said Aleck, in a whisper, though he could not have explained why he spoke in such awe-stricken tones.

"Oh, no, my lad; it's a deal darker than that when the tide's high."

"Tide--high?" said Aleck, in a startled voice. "Does the water ever fill the cavern? No, no, of course not," he said, hastily. "I can see it never comes up to those stacks of bales and things."

"That's right," said the smuggler.

"And the tide lays the mouth quite open?"

"Not very often," said the smuggler. "Just at certain tides."

"But I must have seen the mouth from outside sometimes."

"Like enough; my lad, but I don't s'pose you were ever there when a boat could come in."

"Then a boat could come in?"

"Yes," said the smuggler, meaningly, "it could come in then. Want to know exactly?" he added, with a laugh.

"No, I don't know that I do," said Aleck, shortly. "Now, then, I didn't come to see how beautiful the place looked. I want to see and talk to that poor fellow you've got shut up here."

"Um!" grunted the smuggler. "I don't know about 'poor fellow.' He has been better off, I daresay, than I was while they kept me a prisoner. Better fed and all. Nothing the matter, only he couldn't get out."

"But why did you make a prisoner of him?"

"I didn't," said the smuggler, contemptuously; "it was the silly women."

"What for?"

"They got the silly idea in their heads that they could make the press-gang officer exchange--give the pressed men back--if they held on to the lad."

"But you'll set him free at once?" said Aleck, quickly.

"I don't know, my lad," was the reply. "It's rather a mess, I'm afraid, taking a King's officer like that; and it seems to me it will be a worse one to let him go."

"Oh, but you must let him go. The punishment will be very serious for keeping him."

"So it will for breaking loose and swimming ashore after being pressed for a sailor."

"Yes," cried Aleck; "but--"

"Yes, sir; but," said the smuggler, with a bitter laugh, "it's all one-sided like. I didn't begin on them--they began on me, to rob a poor fellow of his liberty. Now, I know it was a foolish thing for those women to get hold of that boy, half smother him, and shut him up here; and I don't want to keep him."

"Of course not."

"But what am I to do? If I let him go, and say 'Run for it,' he'll be back before I know where I am with another boat's crew to take me; and of course, being a man, I shall have to stand fire for everybody. 'Sides which it'll be making known to the Revenue officers where our lair is, and that'll be ruin to everybody."

"Then you must escape, Eben, for that poor fellow must be set free."

"Don't see it yet, Master Aleck," said the man, stubbornly. "It wants thinking about. Simplest way seems to me to be that I should put him out of his misery."

"What! Kill him?"

"Something of that sort, sir."

"Bah! You're laughing at me," cried Aleck. "Come, no nonsense--take me to him; and he must be set at liberty directly."

"Well, don't be in quite such a hurry, Master Aleck," said the man. "You ought to play fair after what has passed 'twixt us two."

"And so I will, Eben. I have promised you that I will not tell anyone about this place."

"That's right enough, sir. So you say I must let him out?"

"Of course."

"Well, don't you think I ought to have my chance to get away?"

"Certainly."

"Very well, then, sir, you must wait a bit. You know what it'll be if he's let out now."

"No, I don't."

"Very well, then, I'll tell you, sir. He'll forget all about being treated well and all that sort o' thing, and go and get help to try and catch me. Then he'll come directly upon the party who've been hunting me, and I shall be took at once."

"Then you must have a few hours to escape, and then I will set him free."

"I must have two or three days, or I shall be taken again. But you wait a bit; he can't be set loose yet. Come and see him now if you like, or would you rather stay away?"

"I'd rather go to him, poor fellow; he must be in a horrible state."

"Not he," said the smuggler, coolly. "He's had plenty to eat and drink, and a lot of canvas for a bed. He hasn't hurt."

"You didn't hear his cries for help," said Aleck.

"No, or I should have come down to quiet him if I'd been near," said the smuggler, gruffly. "Come on."

He led the way farther in away from the mouth of the cavern, and in and out amongst rocks which lay about the rugged floor, the course being beside the water, which now began to grow of a jetty black, while from time to time Aleck caught a gleam of something bright overhead, showing that here and there the roof came lower. He saw, too, that the winding, canal-like channel of water gradually grew narrower, till the lanthorn illumined the place sufficiently for the lad to see that they could easily cross to the other side by stepping from rock to rock, which rose above the shallow water.

"We'll go over here," said the smuggler, "but by and by the water will be right over there, and you have to go right to the end and climb along the ledge. Can you see where to step?"

"Yes. Go on."

"Mind how you come; the stones here are slippery with the wet seaweed."

"I can manage," said Aleck, and he carefully stepped across and stood on the other side. "Now, where is he?"

"Yonder, half way up that side! There's a snug hole there, plenty big enough for him. I've slept there lots of times when we've been busy."

Aleck did not enquire what the business was, but he surmised as he followed the guide, with the light from the lanthorn enabling him to see where to put his feet.

They were now going back towards the submerged mouth of the vast cavern, and Aleck felt a strange sensation of relief even at this, for thoughts would keep crowding into his brain about what would be the consequence if a greater tide than usual flooded the place, a thought so horrible that the perspiration stood out upon his forehead, though it might have been caused by the exertion of stepping over the rugged floor and the heat of the place.

"Isn't he very quiet?" whispered Aleck.

"Yes, but he's watching us," said the man, in a hoarse whisper, while Aleck looked in vain for a likely place to be the young officer's prison, "over yonder" being a very vague indication.

Just then the smuggler began to step up a steep slope of moderate-sized rocks piled one upon the other, to stop short about ten feet above where his companion was standing.

He held the lanthorn down low for the lad to see, and as Aleck stood beside him he raised the light as high as he could, so that the dim rays fell upon the angry staring eyes of the young officer, who lay upon a thick cushion composed of many folds of sail-cloth, the bolt ropes and reef points in which showed plainly that it had been in use possibly in connection with some unfortunate vessel wrecked upon the rocks of the iron-bound coast.

The face was familiar enough to Aleck as the midshipman hitched himself up a little higher upon the elbow which supported him, and his new visitor saw that the fierce eyes were not directed at him, but at the smuggler who bore the lanthorn.

"Then you've come at last?" he said, fiercely. "Now, then, no more of this tomfool acting; unlock this iron and take me out into the fresh air, or as sure as you stand there, you great, black-muzzled, piratical-looking scoundrel, I'll say such things about you to the captain that he'll hang you to the yard-arm, and serve you right."

"What!" growled the smuggler. "Not got tame yet?"

"Tame, you miserable ruffian! How dare you speak to an officer in His Majesty's Navy like that? There never was such an outrage before. Unfasten these irons, I say, and take me out!"

"Why, skipper," said the smuggler, mockingly, "your temper gets worse and worse."

"My temper, you dog!" cried the midshipman, furiously. "How dare you treat me like this?"

"And how dare you come with your gang, knocking honest men on the head and dragging them off to sea?" retorted Eben. "You'd think nothing of putting them in irons because they wouldn't take to the sea. How do you like it, my young springold?"

"I'm not going to argue with you, you ruffian, about that," cried the midshipman. "Now, look here, that woman who brought me the wretched food said she dare not and could not unlock that iron I've got round my ankle, but that when her husband came I was to ask him. Now, then, you're the husband, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes, I'm the husband, safe enough," growled the smuggler.

"Then I order you in the King's name to take these irons off."

"You wait a bit, captain," said the smuggler; "all in good time. Here, take it coolly for a bit longer; I've brought you some company."

"Ah, who's that with you? I thought I saw someone and heard whispering."

The smuggler held the lanthorn lower and opened the door, so that the candle light shone full on Aleck's face.

"You?" cried the midshipman, excitedly. "Then I was right; I thought you were one of the smuggling gang."

"Then you thought wrong," said Aleck, shortly.

"What do you want here?" cried the prisoner, wildly, for the fit of rage and command into which he had forced himself was fast dying down into misery and despair.

"I've come to help you, middy," cried Aleck, warmly, and he sank upon one knee and caught the poor fellow's hand.

"To--to--to help me?" he gasped.

"Yes, and to have you out into the daylight again. You, Eben Megg, take off the chain directly!" cried Aleck. "How dare you chain an officer and a gentleman as if he were a thief or a dog?"

"Oh!" cried the prisoner, and the ejaculation sounded wildly hysterical and passionate as that of a girl. "Oh--oh! Don't--don't speak to me-- don't! Oh, you--I can't bear it! I'm not a coward, but I've been shut up down here in the horrible darkness of this place till I've been half mad at times, and--and I'm half mad now. It's the loneliness--the being alone down here night and day."

"Of course it is," cried Aleck, feeling half choked as he spoke; and holding the lad's hand tightly between his own, he kept pressing it hard, and ended by shaking it more and more warmly as he spoke. "Of course, of course it is. It would have driven me quite mad; but you shan't feel the loneliness again, for I'll stop with you till you're out, happen what may."

"Hah! Thank you, thank you!" whispered the prisoner. "I couldn't help breaking down. I did try so very hard. I didn't think that I should behave like a girl."

"Hush!" whispered Aleck, who had interposed between the prisoner and the gaoler with his lanthorn. "Hold up; don't let him see. There, it's going to be all right now. There's a boat's crew and an officer from the cutter somewhere above on the cliff, trying to find you."

"What!" cried the midshipman, holding on to Aleck now with both hands. "Is that true, or are you saying it to keep up my spirits?"

"It's as true as true," cried Aleck.

"Then I'll hail again. Oh, how I have hailed! Do you think they could hear me now the water's up?"

"Perhaps," said Aleck. "I heard you, and I've been hunting for long enough to find the way down."

"What!" cried the middy, who was beginning to master the emotion from which he had suffered. "Then you didn't know the way?"

"No, not till just now."

"But you knew of this horrible cave?"

"No; though it isn't above a mile from where I live."

"I--I thought you were mixed up with these smugglers, and--and--I beg your pardon."

"There's nothing to beg pardon about," said Aleck, cheerfully. "There, I'm going to have you out of this. Now, then, Eben, bring the light closer. Where did these fetters come from?"

"Out of a King's ship as was wrecked off Black Point, Master Aleck. We got dozens out of the sands. They're what they use when they put men in irons."

"Nonsense."

"I tell you they are, sir. You ask Tom Bodger if they arn't."

"Yes, they're the regular irons," said the midshipman, huskily; and Aleck, who still held his hand, felt that he was all of a tremble.

"So, you see, Master Aleck, it's on'y fair. Tit for tat, you know."

"That will do, sir," cried the lad, sharply. "Don't be a coward as well as cruel to this gentleman. Now, then, set down the lanthorn on one of the stones and unlock this fetter, or whatever it is."

"Can't, sir," said the man, gruffly.

"What! I order you to do it."

"Yes, sir, I hear you, but the chain's locked round his ankle."

"Well, I know that. Unlock it."

"Well, I would, sir, as it's come to this, but I arn't got the key."

"What!" cried Aleck, with a chill of despair running through him. "Where is it, then?"

"My missus or one of the other women's got it."

"But you said there were a lot of these irons; there must be more than one key."

"I never saw but one, sir, and that we had up at home. It was my old woman's idee to chain him up like this. You see, it's three or four of them irons locked together, and one end's about his ankle and the other's locked to the ring there that we let into the rock and fixed with melted lead so as to fix tackle to when we wanted to haul in casks or moor a boat."

"Then you must go and find your wife, and get it," said Aleck, firmly.

"Go up on the cliff, young gentleman, and walk right into the hands of the boat's crew hunting for me, eh?"

"I don't care; I will have this gentleman set free. You may not meet any of the sailors," cried Aleck, and almost at every word of his brave standing up for the prisoner he felt himself rewarded by a warm pressure of the hand.

"That's all right enough, Master Aleck Donne, but you know what I've told you 'bout being made prisoner and having to nearly lose my life in swimming for my liberty?"

"Yes, perfectly well; but I must have him cast free, even if he has to wait a bit before he goes out of the cave."

"But you heard, too, what he said, sir, and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if, when they caught me, they did hang me to the yard-arm of one of their ships."

"Yes, yes, I know," said Aleck; "but--"

"But you arn't reasonable, Master Aleck. My life's as much to me as another man's is to him, whether he's a poor fellow or a gentleman. Now, look here, you know yourself it arn't safe for me to go out of the cave now, is it?"

"Well, I'm afraid it is not just yet, Eben; but--"

"Wait a minute, Master Aleck. Give a man a chance. Look here; as soon as it's dark I'll go up on to the cliff and try and get to my cottage, and as soon as I can get the key I'll come back and let your orficer here go loose if he'll swear as he won't show his people the way down here."

"No," cried the midshipman, firmly; "I can't promise that."

"Not to get free, squire?" said Eben, grimly.

"N-no, I can't do that. It's my duty to help clear out this place. I can't; don't ask me. I can't promise that."

"Look here," said Aleck, smiling; "could you lead a party down here?"

The midshipman started, and was silent.

"How did you come down here?"

"Come down? I didn't come down. I was half stunned, and then thrown into a boat. I can just recollect feeling myself dragged out again, and then I lay sick and giddy, just as if I was in a horrible dream, till I awoke in the darkness to find that I was chained up here."

"Then he could not lead a party here, Eben," said Aleck; "and you could get him out of here so that he would never know how he was taken out."

"Ah!" said the middy, sharply. "Then you two didn't come in a boat?"

"Never you mind how we came or how we didn't, my lad," said the smuggler, "we're here; and as the game's up, Master Aleck, and all I want to do is to keep out of the clutches of the press-gang and the law, I'll do as I said, go up by and by and try to get the key, and if I can't get the key I'll bring down a file."

"That will do, Eben--I'll trust you; and as you're going to do your best now I don't think Mr--Mr--"

"Wrighton," said the middy.

"Mr Wrighton will want to be hard on a man who wants to escape from being pressed. How long will it be before it's safe to go up?"

"I daren't go till it's midnight, my lad. I've been run too close before, and as it is I'm not sure but what they'll be waiting for me about my home; but anyhow I'll try."

"And I must wait till then?" said the middy, with a break in his voice.

"Yes," said Aleck; "but I shall keep my word--I'll stick by you till you're free."

"Ah!" ejaculated the lad, and his voice sounded more natural, as he added, in a low tone to Aleck: "Don't think me a coward, please. You don't know what it is to be shut up in a place like this."

"No," said Aleck; "but if I were I should feel and act just as you have, and I hope be quite as brave."

A pressure of the hand conveyed the midshipman's thanks, and directly after the two lads awoke to the fact that the smuggler was doing something which could mean nothing else but the providing of something to eat and drink.

For upon raising the lanthorn to look around, he came upon a basket, and beside it a good-sized bottle, both of which he examined.

"Why, skipper," he said, "you haven't eat your dinner!"

"How could I eat at a time like this?" said the midshipman, angrily.

"Well, I s'pose it didn't give you much hankering arter eating tackle," said the smuggler, grimly. "I took nowt but water when I was aboard your ship; but you ought to eat and drink now you ye got to the end of your troubles, thanks to Master Aleck here. Why, you've got two lots. What's in the bottles?"

The speaker screwed out the corks of two bottles, one after the other, and smelt the contents.

"Ha! Water. Want anything stronger?" he said, with a grin. "Plenty o' Right Nantes yonder," he added, with a jerk of his thumb over the right shoulder.

"No, no, I don't want anything," said the midshipman, impatiently.

"Well, sir, I do," said Eben. "I'm down faint, and if you don't mind-- what do you say, Master Aleck?"

"I never thought of it," replied Aleck; "but now you talk about eating and drinking you make me feel ready. Let's have something, Mr Wrighton; it will help to pass away the time."

The result was that the contents of the basket were spread between them, and from forcing down a mouthful or two of food the prisoner's appetite began to return, and a good meal was made, Aleck and the smuggler naturally playing the most vigorous part. _

Read next: Chapter 25

Read previous: Chapter 23

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