t at a short distance the fracture could not be seen.

"There's a way round there for a guinea," thought Hilary, "but how to
get there? Why, of course, one must climb over here."

"Here" was a rugged piece of rock about fifty feet back from the _cul de
sac_ to which he had reached, and placing his right foot in a chink and
drawing himself up he was soon on the top with a rugged track before him
to the face of the cliff; but as he took a step forward, meaning to
investigate a little, and then summon his men, a low chirping noise on
his right took his attention, and going cautiously forward he leaned
towards a rock to see what animal it was, when something came like a
black cloud over his head and he was thrown violently down.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

HILARY LEIGH FINDS HIMSELF IN AN UNDIGNIFIED POSITION.

"That's a boat-cloak, and the brute's sitting on me," said Hilary Leigh
to himself as he vainly struggled to get free and shout for help. He
did utter a few inarticulate noises, but they were smothered in the
folds of the thick cloak, and he felt as if he were about to be
smothered himself. Getting free he soon found was out of the question,
so was making use of the weapons with which he was armed, for his wrists
were wrenched round behind his back and his elbows firmly lashed. So
were his ankles, and at the same time he felt the pistols dragged out of
his belt and his sword unhooked and taken away.

"Well, I've discovered the smugglers' place and no mistake," he thought;
"but I might just as well have left it alone. Oh, this is too bad!
Only last night in trouble, and now prisoner! I wonder what they are
going to do?"

He was not long left in doubt, for he suddenly felt himself roughly
seized and treated like a sack, for he was hauled on to some one's back
and borne along in a very uncomfortable position, his legs being banged
against corners of the rock as if he were being carried through a very
narrow place.

This went on for a few minutes, during which he was, of course, in utter
darkness, and panting for breath. Then he was allowed to slide down,
with a bump, on to the rock.

"They're not going to kill me," thought Hilary, "or they would not have
taken so much trouble. I wish I could make Billy Waters hear."

He tried to shout, but only produced a smothered noise, with the result
that some one kicked him in the side.

"That's only lent, my friend," thought Hilary. "It shall be paid back
if ever I