st rising seas. Dick was
awakened by finding himself slipping away to leeward, and presently
afterwards the vessel shipped a sea, the heavy spray from which came
down through the main hatchway, and gave an unpleasant shower-bath to
those below it, and Dick had to scramble as best he could out of the
water which collected to leeward. The cutter, under close-reefed
mainsail, stood on, heeling over to starboard for some time; then she
went about, and directed her course towards the north shore. Once more
she tacked in the direction she had before been going. The smugglers
grumbled and swore, expressing very little confidence in the seamanship
of the dockyard maties. At length, however, they heard the order to
take in the jib. The vessel came on an even keel, the anchor was let
go; she had brought up in Cowes Roads.

"If this wind holds, we shan't see Portsmouth harbour to-day," said Ben.
"I suppose they can't intend to keep the irons on our wrists, now they
have got us all safe. If we stop here for the night, I have a great
mind to try and get away. I have many friends on shore, and some of
them are sure to come off to learn what this craft is about. If I get
the chance, I'll slip overboard and swim to one of their boats. What do
you say, Dick; will you come?"

"We haven't got the chance yet," answered Dick; "if I get off where
should I go? I cannot return home, and I should just have to starve or
beg, or take to some worse course. No, no; you may try it if you wish,
but I'll stay here and learn what a man-of-war is like."

Ben made further vain attempts to induce Dick to join him. Their
conversation was interrupted by several men coming from forward with a
supply of biscuits and cold salt beef and a grog tub, which, with a
number of tin mugs, was placed in the centre of the deck. The latter
seemed to afford infinite satisfaction, and the prisoners, in much
better humour than before, laughed and talked and joked as if they had
no cares in the world. A strict watch was still, however, kept over
them, as, from their desperate character, it was suspected that they
would not fail to try and take advantage of any opportunity which might
offer of getting free.

For upwards of three days the cutter lay at Cowes, the captured men
being narrowly watched, though tolerably well fed and not ill treated.
The time passed heavily away. Growling and swearing was the order of
the day. Dick heard some of the smugglers v