uddenly stretched out his hands
to pull up the clothes.

There were none.

His natural inference had been, as he was lying there upon his back,
that he must be in bed; but now he found that, though there were no
bed-clothes, he was wearing his own, only upon feeling about with no
little pain they did not seem like his clothes.

That was as far as he could get then, but some time after there came a
gleam of light in his understanding, and he recalled the mists that hung
about the Channel.

Of course he was in one of those thick mists, and he had gone to sleep
on--on--what had he gone to sleep on?

The light died out, and it was a long time before, like a flash, came
the answer.

The deck of the cutter!

He made a movement to start up in horror, for he knew that he must have
gone to steep during his watch, and his pain and stiffness were like a
punishment for doing so disgraceful a thing.

"What will Mr Brough say if he knows?" he thought, and then he groaned,
for the pain caused by the movement was unbearable.

At last his mind began to clear, and he set himself to wonder with more
force. This was not the deck, for he could feel that he was lying on
what was like an old sail, and where his hand lay was not wood, but cold
hard stone, with a big crack full of small scraps.

The lad shook his head and then uttered a low moan, for the pain was
terrible.

It died off though as he lay, still trying hard to think, failing--
trying in a half dreamy way, and finally thrilling all over, for he
remembered everything now--the smugglers--the scene in the darkness of
the room where he was imprisoned--the coming of that boy who jeered at
him till they engaged in a fierce struggle, with the result all plainly
pictured, till he was stunned or had swooned away.

These thoughts were almost enough to stun him again, and he lay there
with a hot sensation of rage against the treacherous young scoundrel who
had lured him on to that struggle, and held him so thoroughly fixed
against the bars till he was secured and bound. Yes, and his eyes were
bandaged. He could recall it now.

"Oh, only wait till I get my chance!" he muttered, and he involuntarily
clenched his fists.

He lay perfectly quiet again though, for he found that any exertion
brought on mental confusion as well as pain, and he wanted to think
about his position.

It came by degrees more and more, and as he was able to think with
greater clearness, he found an