t was to see four
sailors, apparently wounded, perhaps dead, carried in and laid upon the
floor.

A thrill of horror ran through Don. He had heard of the acts of the
press-gangs as he might have heard of any legend, and then they had
passed from his mind; but now all this was being brought before him and
exemplified in a way that was terribly real. These four men just
carried in were the last victims of outrage, and his indignation seemed
to be boiling up within him when the bluff-looking man said
good-humouredly,--

"That's the way to get them, my lad. Those four fellows made themselves
tipsy and went to sleep, merchant sailors; they'll wake up to-morrow
morning with bad headaches and in His Majesty's Service. Fine lesson
for them to keep sober."

Don looked at the men with disgust. A few moments before he felt
indignant, and full of commiseration for them; but the bluff man's words
had swept all that away.

Then, crossing to where the man stood by the lanthorn-bearer, Don laid
his hand upon his arm.

"You are not going to keep us, sir?" he said quietly. "My mother and my
uncle will be very uneasy at my absence, and Jem--our man, has a young
wife."

"No, no; can't listen to you, my lad," said the bluff man; "it's very
hard, I know, but the king's ships must be manned--and boyed," he added
with a laugh.

"But my mother?"

"Yes, I'm sorry for your mother, but you're too old to fret about her.
We shall make a man of you, and that chap's young wife will have to wait
till he comes back."

"But you will let me send a message to them at home?"

"To come and fetch you away, my lad? Well, hardly. We don't give that
facility to pressed men to get away. There, be patient; we will not
keep you in this hole long."

He glanced at the four sleeping men, and turned slowly to go, giving Don
a nod of the head, but, as he neared the door he paused.

"Not very nice for a lad like you," he said, not unkindly. "Here, bring
these two out, my lads; we'll stow them in the warehouse. Rather hard
on the lad to shut him up with these swine. Here, come along."

A couple of the press-gang seized Don by the arms, and a couple more
paid Jem Wimble the same attention, after which they were led up a
flight of steps, the door was banged to and bolted, and directly after
they were all standing on the floor of what had evidently been used as a
tobacco warehouse, where the lanthorn light showed a rough step ladder
leading up