to another floor.

"Where shall we put 'em, sir?" said a sailor.

"Top floor and make fast," said the bluff man.

"But you will let me send word home?" began Don.

"I shall send you back into that lock-up place below, and perhaps put
you in irons," said the man sternly. "Be content with what I am doing
for you. Now then, up with you, quick!--"

There was nothing for it but to obey, and with a heavy heart Don
followed the man with the lanthorn as he led the way to the next floor,
Jem coming next, and a guard of two well-armed men and their bluff
superior closing up the rear.

The floor they reached was exactly like the one they had left, and they
ascended another step ladder to the next, and then to the next.

"There's a heap of bags and wrappers over yonder to lie down on, my
lads," said the bluff man. "There, go to sleep and forget your
troubles. You shall have some prog in the morning. Now, my men,
sharp's the word."

They had ascended from floor to floor through trap-doors, and as Don
looked anxiously at his captors, the man who carried the lanthorn
stooped and raised a heavy door from the floor and held it and the light
as his companions descended, following last and drawing down the heavy
trap over his head.

The door closed with a loud clap, a rusty bolt was shot, and then, as
the two prisoners stood in the darkness listening, there was a rasping
noise, and then a crash, which Don interpreted to mean that the heavy
step ladder had been dragged away and half laid, half thrown upon the
floor below. Then the sounds died away.

"This is a happy sort o' life, Mas' Don," said Jem, breaking the
silence. "What's to be done next? Oh! My head, my head!"

"I don't know, Jem," said Don despondently. "It's enough to make one
wish one was dead."

"Dead! Wish one was dead, sir? Oh, come. It's bad enough to be
knocked down and have the headache. Dead! No, no. Where did he say
them bags was?"

"I don't know, Jem."

"Well, let's look. I want to lie down and have a sleep."

"Sleep? At a time like this!"

"Why not, sir? I'm half asleep now. Can't do anything better as I
see."

"Jem," said Don passionately, "we're being punished for all our
discontent and folly, and it seems more than I can bear."

"But we must bear it, sir. That's what you've got to do when you're
punished. Don't take on, sir. P'r'aps, it won't seem so bad when it
gets light. Here, help me find them bags he talked about