CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
Aleck resigned himself to the smuggler's guiding hand, which gripped hisarm tightly, and as the giddy sensation began to pass off and he sawmore clearly, he grasped the position in which he stood--to wit, that hewas upon another ledge of rock, apparently another stratum of the greatslowly-built-up masses which formed the mighty cliffs, one, however,which had been eaten away more by the action of time, so that it wasmuch more deeply indented, while the upper stratum from which he haddropped overlapped considerably, save in one place, where this lowershelf projected in a rocky tongue, which resembled a huge bracket, and acold shiver ran through the lad as he saw now fully the perilous natureof his leap.
"Haven't found out the way yet," said Eben, coolly; "but when they dothey 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 horribleleap!"
"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 thegulls and mews, with a few sea parrots. Nobody could get there withoutbeing let down by a line, and the birds never nest there, so it's quitesafe. 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 wasbeginning to overcome the tension caused by the shock his nerves hadsuffered.
The smuggler laughed.
"Well, you're asking a good deal, youngster," he said, "but it's of nouse for me to play at hide-and-seek with you now. Yes; there's a wayopen to the sea just for 'bout an hour at some tides. Then it's shut upagain by the water, and that's what makes it so safe."
Half a dozen more questions were bubbling up towards his lips, but thesmuggler made a movement and Aleck felt that the best way to satisfy hiscuriosity would be to remain silent and use his eyes as much as hecould.
He was gazing sharply round, to see nothing that suggested a way down tothe sea but the great gully beneath his feet, when he became aware ofthe fact that Eben was watching him quietly with a dry, amused look inhis 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 theirright, and Aleck followed closely, till his companion stopped short andfaced 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 spotwhere a great piece of rock terminated in a sharp edge, which overlappeda portion of the wall, and as he looked in the direction from which hehad come there was a wide opening, quite six feet in height, looking asif a portion of the rock had scaled off the main mass, forming anopening some three feet wide, and remained fixed. Into this the ladstepped at once, shutting out a portion of the light, and for a fewmoments it seemed to him that the place ended some seven or eight feetfrom the entrance; but as he ran his left hand along the wall for safetyand guidance, he found that instead of its being solid wall upon hisleft, he had been touching a mere sheet of stone, which screened anotheropening leading back to the original direction. Upon holding tight andpeering round a sharp corner Aleck found that he was gazing into blackdarkness; but a breath of cool, moist air and the peculiar odour toldtheir own tale of what was beyond, and to endorse this came the soft,sighing, whispering rush of waves sweeping over pebbles far enoughbelow.
"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 haveventured down."
"What, into that horrible cavern?"
"'Tarn't a horrible cavern, my lad, only a sort of a dark passage goingstraight 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. Youdo as I do."
It was a faint twilight now where the pair were standing, with a darkforbidding chasm just in front, and Aleck was longing for a lanthorn,which he half expected to see the smuggler produce. But instead ofdoing so he stepped suddenly into the darkness.
"Now, then," he said, "you'll do as I do. It's nothing to what you didjust now in jumping, for there's no danger; only that looked better, forit 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 tocome 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 touchedme," said Aleck, in a husky voice.
"Yes, I know," said the smuggler. "It's just as if little soft snakyfingers were feeling about your head."
"Yes, just like that," said Aleck, in a husky whisper. "I don't thinkit could be the wind."
"Yes, it is. That's right; only the wind, my lad. The cave's suckingbecause the sea keeps on opening and shutting the mouth at this time ofthe tide, and one minute the air's rushing in here and the next it'srushing 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 fewmoments, and then the smuggler turned round, took another step, spreadout his arms to grasp the rocky sides, and the next minute there was alow 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 Idid, 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 handsagainst the wall on either side, felt about with one foot, drew theother 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 hisheels met with a sudden check and the smuggler's voice, sounding like ahollow 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 crackrunning right through the rock from top to bottom. There's nothing tomind, as you'd see if we'd got the lanthorn. They were so close afterme 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 withall sorts of things coming up and folk like us going down. Just thesame as before, my lad. I calls it Jacob's Ladder. Natur' made a gooddeal on it, and my grandfathers, fathers, and us lot finished it a bitat a time and made it what it is."
There was a rushing sound directly after, and the smuggler's voice nexttime he spoke came from a lower stage.
Aleck followed again with more confidence that he would not plunge intosome horrible well-like hole full of water with he knew not whathorrible, eel-like creatures waiting to attack him. This time the slidedown felt comparatively easy, while at another angle of the zigzag, ashe followed his unseen guide, Aleck actually began to think that such away of progression must be bad for the clothes.
"You'll have to ease yourself down this next one," said Eben, as he wasstarting for the next descent; "it's a bit steeper. Let your hands runalong 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 Aleckanticipated, and he slid down into a pair of hands.
"Now, then, the next bit's diff'rent," said the smuggler. "You'll sitdown on your heels like to slide, but it arn't steep, and every now andthen you'll have to give yerself a bit of a shove to help yer down tothe next bit, and that's worse still."
"Worse?" said Aleck, trying to suppress a catching of the breath; butthe smuggler detected it.
"Not what you think bad," he said, with a hoarse chuckle, "but what wecall 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 thenext 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 'emcaught and got wedged into niches, and then we kept on till we filled itup 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 goingnow. Have we got below where it comes in?"
"Not us. The tide's up above the mouth now, and there'll be no wind tofeel till next tide. Here's off."
The rustling began, and the two next portions of the strange zigzagseries of cleft were passed down easily enough, while, as he descended acouple more, Aleck felt how smoothly floor and sides were worn andcarved, and began to dwell upon the time that must have elapsed and theindustry bestowed upon the curious passage by the smugglers, who had byvirtue of their oaths and their interest in the place kept it a secretfor generations.
"I wonder how many more there are," Aleck was thinking as he glideddown, 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 adistance.
"Ay, ay, this is me," replied the smuggler. "I'll be there soon."
There was silence, for, though eager to speak to the prisoner, Aleckconcluded that he had better wait, and not commence his first meetingwith 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 littlesparks. At the end of a minute the frowning face of the smuggler waslit up as he blew softly at the tinder, into which a spark had fallenand caught; the light increased, and as a brimstone match was applied tothe incandescent tinder, the brimstone melted, bubbled, and began toturn blue. Then the splint of wood beneath began to burn, and at lastemitted 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 thefeeble light of the dim horn lanthorn threw up; and very little thoughthis was at a time, it was enough to fill the lad with wonder. For asfar as he could make out, they were in a vast cavern, whose floor aboutwhere they stood supported stacks of kegs and piles of boxes and bales.There was also a tremendous collection of wood, the most part beingevidently the gatherings of wrecks, and in addition there were thefittings of vessel after vessel, so various in fact that Aleck hurriedlyturned away his eyes, to gaze with something like a shiver at thereflection of the lanthorn in a far-stretching mirror of intenseblackness which lay smooth and undisturbed, save in one part away to hisleft, where it was blurred and dimmed, rising and falling as if moved bysome undercurrent.
"Water," he said, at last, as the smuggler raised up his lanthorn andsmiled.
"Yes, and plenty of it."
"But where's the mouth of the cave?"
"Over yonder," said the man, pointing towards where the surface was inmotion.
"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 wecould 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 thelanthorn down upon the rocky floor, he slipped off his rough jacket andcovered the lanthorn so that not a ray of light could be seen escapingthrough the panes of thinly-scraped horn.
To the lad's wonderment, no sooner was the lanthorn hidden than insteadof the place being intensely dark, it was lit up by a soft translucenttwilight, which seemed to rise out of the water where it was disturbed.This light, where the water was wreathing and swaying softly, was of adelicious, transparent blue, and by degrees, as he gazed in awe andwonder, a low archway could be made out spanning a considerable space,but beautifully indistinct, festooned as it was by filaments and ribandsof seaweed and wrack, all apparently of a jetty black, seen throughwater of a wondrous blue. But the whole archway was in motion, as itseemed, and constantly changing its shape, while the sea growth swayedand curved and undulated, and at times lay out straight, as if swept bysome swift current.
"Is it always like this?" said Aleck, in a whisper, though he could nothave 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 everfill the cavern? No, no, of course not," he said, hastily. "I can seeit 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 boatcould come in."
"Then a boat could come in?"
"Yes," said the smuggler, meaningly, "it could come in then. Want toknow exactly?" he added, with a laugh.
"No, I don't know that I do," said Aleck, shortly. "Now, then, I didn'tcome to see how beautiful the place looked. I want to see and talk tothat poor fellow you've got shut up here."
"Um!" grunted the smuggler. "I don't know about `poor fellow.' He hasbeen 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 thepress-gang officer exchange--give the pressed men back--if they held onto 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 worseone to let him go."
"Oh, but you must let him go. The punishment will be very serious forkeeping him."
"So it will for breaking loose and swimming ashore after being pressedfor a sailor."
"Yes," cried Aleck; "but--"
"Yes, sir; but," said the smuggler, with a bitter laugh, "it's allone-sided like. I didn't begin on them--they began on me, to rob a poorfellow of his liberty. Now, I know it was a foolish thing for thosewomen 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 beback before I know where I am with another boat's crew to take me; andof course, being a man, I shall have to stand fire for everybody.'Sides which it'll be making known to the Revenue officers where ourla
ir 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 wantsthinking about. Simplest way seems to me to be that I should put himout of his misery."
"What! Kill him?"
"Something of that sort, sir."
"Bah! You're laughing at me," cried Aleck. "Come, no nonsense--take meto 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 anyoneabout 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 ifhe's let out now."
"No, I don't."
"Very well, then, I'll tell you, sir. He'll forget all about beingtreated well and all that sort o' thing, and go and get help to try andcatch me. Then he'll come directly upon the party who've been huntingme, and I shall be took at once."
"Then you must have a few hours to escape, and then I will set himfree."
"I must have two or three days, or I shall be taken again. But you waita bit; he can't be set loose yet. Come and see him now if you like, orwould 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 thesmuggler, gruffly. "Come on."
He led the way farther in away from the mouth of the cavern, and in andout amongst rocks which lay about the rugged floor, the course beingbeside the water, which now began to grow of a jetty black, while fromtime to time Aleck caught a gleam of something bright overhead, showingthat here and there the roof came lower. He saw, too, that the winding,canal-like channel of water gradually grew narrower, till the lanthornillumined the place sufficiently for the lad to see that they couldeasily cross to the other side by stepping from rock to rock, which roseabove the shallow water.
"We'll go over here," said the smuggler, "but by and by the water willbe right over there, and you have to go right to the end and climb alongthe 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 onthe other side. "Now, where is he?"
"Yonder, half way up that side! There's a snug hole there, plenty bigenough 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 hefollowed the guide, with the light from the lanthorn enabling him to seewhere 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 thoughtswould keep crowding into his brain about what would be the consequenceif a greater tide than usual flooded the place, a thought so horriblethat the perspiration stood out upon his forehead, though it might havebeen caused by the exertion of stepping over the rugged floor and theheat of the place.
"Isn't he very quiet?" whispered Aleck.
"Yes, but he's watching us," said the man, in a hoarse whisper, whileAleck looked in vain for a likely place to be the young officer'sprison, "over yonder" being a very vague indication.
Just then the smuggler began to step up a steep slope of moderate-sizedrocks piled one upon the other, to stop short about ten feet above wherehis companion was standing.
He held the lanthorn down low for the lad to see, and as Aleck stoodbeside him he raised the light as high as he could, so that the dim raysfell upon the angry staring eyes of the young officer, who lay upon athick cushion composed of many folds of sail-cloth, the bolt ropes andreef points in which showed plainly that it had been in use possibly inconnection with some unfortunate vessel wrecked upon the rocks of theiron-bound coast.
The face was familiar enough to Aleck as the midshipman hitched himselfup a little higher upon the elbow which supported him, and his newvisitor saw that the fierce eyes were not directed at him, but at thesmuggler who bore the lanthorn.
"Then you've come at last?" he said, fiercely. "Now, then, no more ofthis tomfool acting; unlock this iron and take me out into the freshair, or as sure as you stand there, you great, black-muzzled,piratical-looking scoundrel, I'll say such things about you to thecaptain 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 HisMajesty'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 worseand worse."
"My temper, you dog!" cried the midshipman, furiously. "How dare youtreat me like this?"
"And how dare you come with your gang, knocking honest men on the headand dragging them off to sea?" retorted Eben. "You'd think nothing ofputting them in irons because they wouldn't take to the sea. How do youlike it, my young springold?"
"I'm not going to argue with you, you ruffian, about that," cried themidshipman. "Now, look here, that woman who brought me the wretchedfood said she dare not and could not unlock that iron I've got round myankle, 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 heardwhispering."
The smuggler held the lanthorn lower and opened the door, so that thecandle light shone full on Aleck's face.
"You?" cried the midshipman, excitedly. "Then I was right; I thoughtyou 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 rageand command into which he had forced himself was fast dying down intomisery and despair.
"I've come to help you, middy," cried Aleck, warmly, and he sank uponone 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, takeoff the chain directly!" cried Aleck. "How dare you chain an officerand a gentleman as if he were a thief or a dog?"
"Oh!" cried the prisoner, and the ejaculation sounded wildly hystericaland 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 shutup down here in the horrible darkness of this place till I've been halfmad at times, and--and I'm half mad now. It's the loneliness--the beingalone down here night and day."
"Of course it is," cried Aleck, feeling half choked as he spoke; andholding the lad's hand tightly between his own, he kept pressing ithard, and ended by shaking it more and more warmly as he spoke. "Ofcourse, of course it is. It would have driven me quite mad; but youshan't feel the loneliness again, for I'll stop with you till you'reout, happen what may."
"Hah! Thank you, thank you!" whispered the prisoner. "I couldn't helpbreaking down. I did try so very hard. I didn't think that I shouldbehave like a girl."
"Hush!" whispered Aleck, who had interposed between the prisoner and thegaoler 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 fromthe 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 couldhear me now the water's up?"
"Perhaps," said Aleck. "I heard you, and I've been hunting for longenough to find the way down."
"What!" cried the middy, who was beginning to master the emotion fromwhich 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 begyour 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 lightcloser. Where did these fetters come from?"
"Out of a King's ship as was wrecked off Black Point, Master Aleck. Wegot dozens out of the sands. They're what they use when they put men inirons."
"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; andAleck, 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 wellas cruel to this gentleman. Now, then, set down the lanthorn on one ofthe 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 thanone key."
"I never saw but one, sir, and that we had up at home. It was my oldwoman's idee to chain him up like this. You see, it's three or four ofthem irons locked together, and one end's about his ankle and theother's locked to the ring there that we let into the rock and fixedwith melted lead so as to fix tackle to when we wanted to haul in casksor 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 ofthe boat's crew hunting for me, eh?"
"I don't care; I will have this gentleman set free. You may not meetany of the sailors," cried Aleck, and almost at every word of his bravestanding up for the prisoner he felt himself rewarded by a warm pressureof the hand.
"That's all right enough, Master Aleck Donne, but you know what I'vetold you 'bout being made prisoner and having to nearly lose my life inswimming for my liberty?"
"Yes, perfectly well; but I must have him cast free, even if he has towait a bit before he goes out of the cave."
"But you heard, too, what he said, sir, and I shouldn't be a bitsurprised if, when they caught me, they did hang me to the yard-arm ofone of their ships."
"Yes, yes, I know," said Aleck; "but--"
"But you arn't reasonable, Master Aleck. My life's as much to me asanother 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 thecave 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 soonas 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 orficerhere go loose if he'll swear as he won't show his people the way downhere."
"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. Ican'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 throwninto a boat. I can just recollect feeling myself dragged out again, andthen I lay sick and giddy, just as if I was in a horrible dream, till Iawoke in the darkness to find that I was chained up here."
"Then he could not lead a party here, Eben," said Aleck; "and you couldget 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 thesmuggler, "we're here; and as the game's up, Master Aleck, and all Iwant 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 Ican'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 bestnow I don't think Mr--Mr--"
"Wrighton," said the middy.
"Mr Wrighton will want to be hard on a man who wants to escape frombeing 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 closebefore, and as it is I'm not sure but what they'll be waiting for meabout 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 tillyou're free."
"Ah!" ejaculated the lad, and his voice sounded more natural, as headded, in a low tone to Aleck: "Don't think me a coward, please. Youdon'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 directlyafter the two lads awoke to the fact that the smuggler was doingsomething which could mean nothing else but the providing of somethingto eat and drink.
For upon raising the lanthorn to look around, he came upon a basket, andbeside 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 aboardyour ship; but you ought to eat and drink now you ye got to the end ofyour 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 rightshoulder.
"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 eatingand drinking you make me feel ready. Let's have something, MrWrighton; 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 appetitebegan to return, and a good meal was made, Aleck and the smugglernaturally playing the most vigorous part.