ttering tongue somewhere else?"

"'Cause," continued Ram, without heeding the midshipman's petulant
words, "I could borrow big Tom Dunley's old fiddle. He'd lend it to me,
and I'd smuggle it here."

"Smuggle, of course," sneered Archy.

"In its green baize bag. I could teach you how to play one toon."

Archy remained silent, as he sat on a stone, listening contemptuously to
the lad's words.

"I thought I could often come here, and sit and talk to you, and bring a
light, and I brought these."

He opened the door of the horn lanthorn, and produced from his pocket a
very dirty old pack of cards, at which Archy stared with profound
disgust.

"You and me could play a game sometimes, and then you wouldn't feel half
so dull. I say, have a puff now!"

There was no reply.

"Shall I bring you some apples?"

Archy threw himself down, and lay on his side, with his head resting
upon his hand, gazing into the darkness.

"We've got lots o' fox-whelps as we make cider of, and some red-cheeks
which are ever so much better. I'll bring you some."

"Don't," replied Archy coldly. "Bring me my liberty. I don't want
anything else."

"Won't you have the Jew's harp, if I go and find it?"

"No."

"Nor yet the fiddle, if I borrow it?"

"No."

"I say, don't be so snarky with me. I can't help it. I was obliged to
do what I did, same as you'd have been if it had been t'other way on.
Look here; let you and me be friends, and I could come often and sit
with you. I'll stay now if you like. Let's have a game at cards."

Archy made no reply, and Ram sighed.

"I'm very sorry," he said sadly; "and I'd leave you the lanthorn if you
like to ask me."

"I'm not going to ask favours of such a set of thieves and scoundrels,"
cried the midshipman passionately; "and once more I warn you that, if
you come pestering me with your proposals, I shall knock you down with a
stone, and then escape."

"Not you," replied Ram, with a quiet laugh.

"Not escape?"

"I meant couldn't knock me down with a stone."

"And pray why?"

"'Cause I tell you agen you couldn't be such a coward. I'm going now."

No notice was taken of the remark.

"Like another blanket?"

No answer.

"I'm going to leave the basket and the puffs and cheese. Anything else
I can get you?"

Archy was moved by the lad's friendly advances, but he felt as if he
would rather die than show it, and he turned impatiently away from the
light shed by the lanthorn.