th drawn
cutlasses, took me into the bow of the longboat and placed me there
beside Tom Kinlay and the other prisoners, and bound me to them
with my own rope. Then the lieutenant took his seat in the stern
sheets, his men plied their oars, and we were taken out to the
cutter, which lay anchored a few fathoms out from the rocks.

We were all taken aboard of her. Her white canvas was hoisted and
her anchor weighed, and soon we were speeding blithely along in the
direction of Stromness, with the St. Magnus towed astern.

Chapter XXXVII. In Which I Am Put Under Arrest.

When we were well under weigh, and I had done admiring the cutter's
trim fittings and the smartness of her men, I turned to consider
the condition of my unfortunate companions. Two of them were badly
wounded, and they were ordered to be taken below to have their
wounds dressed, whilst the others were now being placed in irons.
They were bound hand and foot to a gun carriage.

Tom Kinlay, who was beside me under the starboard bulwarks, watched
the men with consternation in his face. He was evidently very much
afraid. I saw him put his hand to his breast as though he felt
there for something. I thought he was searching for some weapon;
but whatever it was he did not find it. He opened his coat and
still searched.

"Hang it!" he exclaimed, "I must have lost it;" and then he looked
at me accusingly.

Somehow I thought just then of my viking's stone that I had
recovered so strangely, and as I took it from my pocket and assured
myself that it was all safe, I began to wonder how it had come to
be left there at the top of the cliff. How had Thora allowed it to
go out of her keeping? And Thora, where now was she?

Suddenly I felt a warm breath on my face. I turned and saw Tom
Kinlay glaring at me.

"Ah! it is you," he exclaimed; "you've stolen it from me!"

And he made a grab at the stone, which fell from my hand upon the
deck, for the string had been taken from it, and I had consequently
not been able to hang it round my neck. We both scrambled upon the
deck, each eager to secure the talisman. But I managed to push
Kinlay away, and picking up the stone I put it safely in my breast
pocket just as two of the cutter's men came towards us.

"Now, then, youngster," said one of them, taking Tom by the
shoulder, "it's your turn now, my lad;" and he proceeded to adjust
a pair of handcuffs upon Tom's wrists.

At the same time the other sailor came to me