old rascals that I ever heard of he seems
to be about the worst. Why, he's regularly mixed up with this gang.
Did you hear? It seems that you can only get in and out at certain
times of the tide, and nobody knows how to pilot any one in but old Joe
Daygo."

"Did you understand it to be like that?" said Mike eagerly.

"Yes, he seems to be the regular pilot, and comes to take this French
lugger in and to steer it out among the rocks. Oh, it's terrible; and
we've got old Joe to blame for all our troubles. I wish we'd sunk his
boat."

"Shouldn't we have sunk ourselves too?"

"Well, perhaps. I should like to drop something through its bottom."

"I shouldn't," said Mike quietly. "Why not? It would serve him well
right."

"Because I should like to use it ourselves."

"Eh? What do you mean?" said Vince excitedly. "Now, younkers," said a
voice behind them, "skipper says I'm to show you two to your bunks."

It was a rough, hairy-faced fellow who spoke to them, though in the
darkness they did not get a very good view of his features.

"To our bunks?" said Vince.

"Yes; come along. You're lucky: you've got a place all to yourselves."

He led them aft, to where a small hatchway stood, close to that of the
captain's cabin, from whence the sound of voices came so loudly that,
regardless of his companions' presence, the man stood and listened.

"But I tell you I must go back, skipper," said Daygo, "and it's getting
late."

"_Oui_--yais, I know zat, _mon ami_," said the captain; "but I have ze
good pilot on board, and it is late and ver' bad for him to go sail
among ze rock and courant. I say it is better he sall stay all ze
night, and not go run ze risk to drown himselfs. I cannot spare you. I
have you, Daygo. You are a so much valuable mans. So I sall keep you
till I sail."

"Keep me?" growled Daygo.

"Yais. You sall eat all as mosh as you vish, and drink more as you
vish, but you cannot go avay. It is not safe."

There was the sound of a heavy fist brought down upon the table, and
then the man, who had picked up a lanthorn, turned to them and said,--

"Down with you, youngsters!"

The boys obeyed, and the man followed.

"Old Daygo don't like having to stay," he said laughingly. "There you
are, lads!--just room for you both without touching. Shall I leave you
the lanthorn?"

"Please," said Vince. "Thank you.--I say--"

"Nay, you don't, lad," said the man, with gruff good humour; "you've