rry and Ben Nash, with
handcuffs on their wrists, and their legs tied, seated side by side.

"Is it yourself, Mr Terence?" exclaimed Larry, as I appeared. "Have
you come to set us free? Have you got the brig again?"

"I wish that I had," I answered, "but there's no such good luck for us.
I'm a prisoner at large, and I have obtained permission to come and see
you, as I wanted to know how you're getting on, and how it all
happened."

"Shure it's bad enough for myself, Mr Terence, but it's worse for poor
Ben here, for just look at him,--he's got a mighty ugly prong in his
side, another in his shoulder, and a knock in his head, which was enough
to do for him. Tim Logan was killed entirely; but don't mind me, just
look to Ben, he can scarcely speak."

Ben's face was pale as death.

"Where are you hurt, Nash?" I asked.

He groaned as he told me.

"But it's water I want, sir; the fellows haven't brought us any since we
were down here. Once Dan Hoolan came to look at us, and when I asked
him for some, he turned away with a growl, swearing I might die of
thirst before he would bring me any."

Immediately on hearing this I sprang on deck, and begged La Touche to
let me have a jug of water. He ordered one of the Frenchmen to bring it
to me, and I returned with it. I first gave some to Nash, who, though
he eagerly bent forward his head as I lifted the jug to his lips, seemed
to have a difficulty in swallowing. I next put it to Larry's mouth, and
he quickly gulped down the contents.

"Shure, that does a boy good," he exclaimed, drawing breath. "I
wouldn't have taken it all, if I had been after thinking that Ben would
have been wanting it."

"I hope easily to get some more if he requires it," I said; but on
looking at poor Ben it appeared to me that neither water nor food would
restore him. He was leaning back, gasping violently. His eyes, as I
held the lantern to them, appeared to have lost all animation. I put
the lantern down on the deck, and supported him in my arms.

"It's cruel in those fellows to keep the manacles on him while he's
suffering thus," I exclaimed. "I'll ask La Touche to have them taken
off. He could no longer, even if he had a will, interfere with them."

Springing on deck, I made my request to La Touche; he replied that he
would go below and consult his commanding officer. He soon returned.

"If you think that the man is really dying, Lieutenant Dubois will give
you leave to do as