'n't been such a very bad time," growled Tom Tully; "we did
have a bit of a fight!"

"Fight? ay! and didn't finish it. Now, then, Tom Tully, where's that
boat? Can you see her?"

"Yes; here she is," growled the big sailor; "and blest if some one
ar'n't took away the oars; and--yes that they have. No getting off
to-night, lads; they've shoved a hole in her bottom."

"What!" cried Billy Waters, groping his way to the boat; and then, in a
hoarse, angry voice, "and no mistake. She's stove-in!"

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

A FEW IDEAS ON ESCAPE.

Hilary Leigh felt very angry at being shut up in his prison, but the
good breakfast with which he had been supplied went some way towards
mollifying him, and as he sat upon the window-sill he felt that Sir
Henry would much like to win him over to his side.

"And he is not going to do it," he said half aloud.

It was a lovely day, and as he sat there gazing out at the view, he
thought he had never seen anything so beautiful before. It was
wonderful, too, how a comfortable meal had improved his appreciation of
what he saw.

But even then there were drawbacks. A rough and narrow stone seat, upon
which you can only sit by holding on tightly to some rusty iron bars,
does go against the full enjoyment of a scene, especially if you know
that those rusty iron bars prevent you from going any farther.

So before long Hilary grew weary of his irksome position, and, letting
himself down, he had a walk along each side of the old chapel, striding
out as fast as he could, till he fancied he heard his old playmate
outside, when he pounded up to the window again, but only to be
disappointed.

This went on hour after hour, but still Adela did not come, and as the
afternoon wore on he began to think it extremely cruel and
unsympathising.

"She knows I'm shut up here like a bird in a cage, and yet she does not
come to say a single word to cheer me."

The side where the window was seemed darkened now, for the sun had got
well round to the west, and as he climbed up for another good look out
the landscape seemed to wear fresh charms, exciting an intense longing
to get out and ramble over the sunshine-flooded hills, or to lie down
beneath the shaded trees.

He was accustomed to a prison life, as it were, being shut up so much
within a little sloop; but that wooden prison was always on the move,
and never seemed to oppress him as did the four dull walls of his
present abode.

"I shal