zed him as he passed.

"No, my lad, it won't do," he exclaimed. "It was too much trouble to
catch you, so we'll keep you now."

Allstone struggled up, but Hilary's captor interfered as he was about to
strike at him with his doubled fist.

"No, no, Master Allstone," he said sharply, "I'm sure the skipper and
Sir Henry wouldn't let you do that."

"You stand aside," roared Allstone. "Who told you to interfere?"

"No one," said the man coolly; "but I shall interfere, and if you touch
that lad again it'll be through me."

"Do you hear this, lads?" cried Allstone. "He's breaking his oaths.
Come on my side and we'll deal with him too."

"This young fellow was about right when he called you an idiot, Jemmy
Allstone," said the man quietly.

"He's going to help him get away," cried Allstone, who was mad with
passion.

"Yes, that's it, boys," said the man laughing, "that's why I caught him
and kept him till you came up, and that's why I'm going to tie his arms.
Here, give me the rope."

He snatched the cord from Allstone's hands, and turned to Hilary.

"Hold up your arms, my lad, and I won't hurt you. Come, it's of no use
to try and run; we're too many for you. Never fight your ship when you
know you are beaten; it's only waste of strength. Come, hold up."

Hilary felt that he had done all that was possible, and, won by his
captor's frank, manly way, he held up his wrists, to have them so
tightly and ingeniously tied that he was a prisoner indeed.

As they went back by a short cut through the wood, and one which brought
them into a narrow lane, Allstone once found an opportunity to
maliciously kick his prisoner, as if by accident; but Hilary's friend
saw the act, and took care that he did not again approach too near; and,
after what seemed a weary walk, the little party crossed the moat of the
handsome old place. Hilary was led into the great kitchen, and then
up-stairs, past flight after flight, to a room at the top with a
strongly-bound door. Into this place he was thrust, and Allstone was
about to leave him as he was; but the friendly smuggler stepped forward,
and began to unfasten the bonds.

"Never mind that," cried Allstone; "let him stay bound."

The man paid no heed whatever, but undid the cord, set Hilary free, and
then retired, the door being banged to, locked loudly, and secured by a
heavy bar thrust clanging across.

The young officer stood staring at the door for a few minutes, and then
sta