antern in his hand, accompanied
by two persons, whom he recognised as Lord Reginald and Mr Voules.

"Is that the young fellow, my lord, who deserted from the _Wolf_," asked
the officer.

"No doubt about it," answered Lord Reginald. "I'm glad you have caught
him."

"I should have known him from among a hundred," said Voules, "though he
has got out of his sea rig. Take care that he doesn't get away from
you. I should be sorry if he escapes the flogging he'll get on board!"

"You see I have him fast enough at present," answered the officer,
pointing to the handcuffs on Dick's wrists, "He may be very clever, but
he'll not get out of those in a hurry."

The midshipmen looked round, but could identify no other prisoners as
deserters from their ship.

"I shall not sail until the tide makes to the westward; so if your
lordship intends to honour me by returning in the cutter to Plymouth,
you will have time to go back to Elverston and get your traps," Dick
heard the lieutenant observe as they ascended the companion ladder; but
the reply did not reach his ears. As the cutter remained stationary, he
had good reason to fear that the two midshipmen would take a passage in
her, and that he should be subjected to their taunts and ill-treatment,
and have no chance of being set at liberty, which he might otherwise
have had when they once got to sea. Whether or not he was right in his
conjectures he could not tell. He heard several persons come on board;
then the anchor was hove up, and the cutter got under way. He would
have given much to have sent a message on shore, but he had no
opportunity.

A fresh breeze carried the cutter along at a good rate. Before
nightfall she was off Portland. Hitherto neither Lord Reginald nor
Voules had come below.

"I only hope they'll not show themselves, for it will be a hard matter
to keep a quiet tongue in my head if they speak to me," thought Dick.
"It will be all the same, though, for I shall be flogged to a certainty
when I am on board again, and I should like to give them my mind first."

Though below, Dick could judge pretty accurately what the cutter was
about. She was evidently making little or no way, for he could hear not
the slightest sound of a ripple against her side. She lay, indeed,
becalmed, in West Bay, between Portland and The Start. It was night,
and the men round him were asleep, as their loud snores in various tones
told him. He would have had no inclination