nry like a cat, till at last his
herculean figure stood out clear on the summit.

The next moment we saw him draw his cutlass and brandish it over his
head, and a loud shout came across to us in a voice I knew full well.

"Come on, you beggars, I've taken the ---- fort!"

It was old Muzzy, the boatswain of the _Fair Maid_.

Not for long did we hesitate, but rushing down into the ditch after
him we were speedily in the fort. There our shouts roused first a
company of Sepoys, and finally the whole force, who came trooping in,
to find the place deserted, and the garrison fled secretly under cover
of the darkness to Calcutta.

While this was going on I had approached my old friend, for so I
cannot but call him. Indeed, in spite of his evil character and
manifold breaches of the laws of God and man, the old fellow had shown
me much kindness, for which I was not ungrateful, and this perhaps
inclined me to look with an unduly lenient eye on his misdeeds. Going
up to him, I clapped him on the back, and cried out--

"How goes it, old Muzzy? and what of the _Fair Maid_ and the rest of
her crew?"

The boatswain gave a great start, and turned round to me with a look
of astonishment which quickly passed into one of delight.

"Why, drown me, if it ain't that young cockerel again!" he exclaimed.

And before I knew what he would be at, he cast his arms around me, and
gave me a most evil-smelling kiss, fragrant of rum and tobacco. Then,
still holding me firmly with his great hairy hands, as though he
feared I should vanish into air, he put me back far enough for him to
gaze at my face.

"Stab my vitals if I didn't think as you was suffocated in that there
Black Hole!" He garnished his speech with many other expressions which
I am ashamed to remember, far less to write here. "So we all heard
aboard the ship. But you're alive, ain't ye now?" he added. "It's not
the rum as makes me think I sees you?"

"I am Athelstane Ford," I answered, trying to shake myself free from
his grasp, "and not a little glad to meet you again. But how did you
come to be on a King's ship? Is the _Fair Maid_----"

"Hist!" He interrupted me with a warning frown, and cast an
apprehensive glance behind him. "Not a word about her! It might be a
hanging matter if it was known I had been in the boat that escaped
from Gheriah. I'll tell you all about it by our two selves."

I took advantage of this offer to lead the way out of the fort. We
walked back to