le, orficer! Pull away, and up she comes. That's
it!" he said, as he crept over the edge. "Thank'ee. I aren't
smuggled."

They both sat down for a few minutes, while Ram untied the rope from his
waist and from round the big block of stone, before beginning to coil it
up.

"I say," he said, as he formed ring after ring of rope, "that rock isn't
very safe. If I'd slipped, and the rope hadn't snapped, that big stone
would have come down atop of me, and what a mess you'd have been in, if
father had said you pitched me off!"

"Let's get back," said the midshipman, who felt sick at heart; and he
moved toward the place where he had been down and up three times.

"Wait a moment," said Ram, securing the end of the rope, and throwing
the coil over his shoulder. "That's right. I'll go first. Know the
way?"

"Because you don't trust me," said Archy angrily.

"That's it," said Ram. "Door's open, and you might get out."

Archy's teeth grated together, but he said nothing, only began to climb,
following the boy patiently till they were nearing the opening, when he
started so violently that he nearly lost his hold.

For a voice came from above his head,--

"Got him, Ram?"

"Yes, father; here he is."

For the moment the midshipman felt disposed to descend again, but he
kept on, and a minute later he looked up, to see Ram's frank face
looking out of the hole, and the boy stretched out his hand.

"Want any help? Oh, all right then!"

"Did you think you'd get out that way, youngster?" said Shackle, as the
midshipman stood erect at the top of the rough stairs.

"I thought I'd try," said the lad stiffly.

"Took a lot o' trouble for nothing, boy," said the smuggler. "I come to
see what was amiss, Ram, boy, you was so long. Don't come again without
Jemmy Dadd or some one."

"No, father."

"So you thought you'd get away, did you?" said the smuggler, with an
ugly smile. "Ought to have known better, boy. You wouldn't be kept
here, if there was a way for you to escape."

Archy felt too much depressed to make any sharp reply, and the smuggler
turned to his son.

"What's the matter with you?"

"Bit of a tumble, father, that's all," said the boy cheerfully, as he
placed his hand to the back of his head.

"You should take care, then; rocks are harder than heads. Hi! You
Jemmy Dadd!"

"Hullo!" came out of the darkness.

"Get Tom to help you to-morrow. Bring a bushel or two o' lime stuff,
and stop up this