Mother on their way home from India.'

'Aye, laddie, perhaps it will; the good ship _Benares_ should be nearing
our coast by this time,' was the reply.

'Then may I, Grandfather?' said Conrad.

'Yes, my boy, and I will look on to see that you do it properly.'

Ah! little did Sir Matthew think, as he said these words, of the
incidents which would take place, ere the castle light should next fling
its friendly rays across the sea.

* * * * *

The November afternoon was creeping on apace, and Sir Matthew, absorbed
in thought, drew long whiffs from his pipe, as he sat over the
dining-room fire. The wind was wild and stormy, and dashed against the
window-pane with angry force.

Conrad, who was busy preparing his lessons for his tutor next morning,
looked up anxiously. But the words he was about to say were checked by
the entrance of a rough-looking man of the fisher type.

It was William Forrest, or Black Bill as he was called by his
neighbours, partly on account of his swarthy appearance, and partly
because of his evil deeds.

The baronet rose in surprise, wondering at his entering the room
unannounced.

'Good evening, Forrest,' he said.

'Evening, master,' was the sullen reply; 'I have come on business, and I
want to see you alone.'

Sir Matthew bade Conrad take his lessons into the library, whilst he
spoke to his visitor. The boy obeyed, unwillingly enough, for
instinctively he felt that Black Bill meant no good to his dearly loved
grandfather.

Somehow he could not give his mind to his lessons, and at length,
thinking the interview must be ended, he returned to the dining-room.
The sight which there met his eyes made his heart stand still with
terror and alarm. His grandfather lay gagged and bound upon the floor.

It was the work of a few moments to remove the gag, and when Sir Matthew
could find voice, he told the story of his attack.

Black Bill, who was in reality a wrecker, for some evil reason of his
own, had endeavoured to extract from the baronet a promise not to light
the lamp that night. Upon Sir Matthew's indignant refusal, he, with the
aid of two colleagues who were waiting near, had next proceeded to
render him helpless. They had already gagged and bound the three old
servants of the castle. So massive were the walls and lengthy the
passages that not a sound had reached Conrad's ears; and the men had
apparently forgotten his presence in the castle.

The boy