.

"Now, then, that's better," said Vince. "What was I going to say? Oh!
I know. The pirate captain and old Joe wanted to make us believe that
we were to be taken out to sea, to walk the plank or be hung or shot or
something."

"Joe said something about Botany Bay and sending us there."

"No, he didn't; he said Bottonny, and there is no such place. He
couldn't do it, and he couldn't keep us prisoners here."

"He might kill us."

"No, he mightn't. Bah! what a silly old Ladle you are! He couldn't.
People don't do such things now, only in stories. I tell you what I
believe."

"What?" said Mike, for Vince paused as if to think.

"Well, I believe he feels that his old smuggler's cave is done for now
we've found out the way down to it, so he's going to clear it out and
start another somewhere else. He means to keep us prisoners till the
last keg's on board, and as soon as this is done he'll go to his boat
and take his hat off to us and tell us we may have the caverns all to
ourselves."

"Think so?" said Mike, looking up at his companion for the first time.

"Yes, I believe that's it, Ladle; and if it wasn't for knowing how
miserable they must be over yonder I should rather like all this--that
is, if you're going to play fair and not get hitting out when we ought
to be the best of friends."

"Don't--don't, Cinder: I can't bear it," groaned Mike, letting his head
drop in his hands. "I hurt myself a hundred times more than I hurt
you."

"Oh, did you! Ha! ha!" cried Vince. "Come, I like that: why, I shall
have a bruise as big as the top of my hat! Oh, I say, Ladle, old chap,
don't--don't talk like that! It's all right. You thought I was
fighting against you. Sit up. Some of the beggars will see."

Mike sat up with his face twitching, and kept his back to the upper part
of the cavern.

"That's better. Well, I say I should really like it if it wasn't for
them at home. I call it a really good, jolly adventure, such as you
read of in books. Now, what we've got to do is to wait till they're
asleep, cut off all their heads with their own cutlasses, seize the
boat, row off to the lugger, wait till old Joe comes back, and then
spike him with the points of cutlasses till he pilots us out safely.
Then we've got to sail home as prize crew of the lugger, which would be
ours. Stop! there's something we haven't done."

Mike stared.

"Old Joe. As soon as we're out of the dangerous passages we've got to