hint from a gruff
voice, that if he hallooed his brains would be blown out, warned him
that it would be wiser to hold his tongue.

Poor Charley had never taken so unpleasant a walk in his life; he had
attacked the smugglers first certainly, and--though he did not know it,
as he had no warrant--in an illegal manner, and they could if they had
chosen have brought an action against him and Tom for an assault and
battery; but, on the other hand, as they were themselves engaged in
illegal transactions, this they could not venture to do, as it would
have brought their own misdeeds to light.

On the party went, now turning rapidly to the right, now to the left,
till Charley felt convinced that they were attempting to mislead him.
At last, strong as he was, he was almost ready to drop with fatigue.
The men who held him were frequently changed, as if they too were
knocked up with their work. Suddenly they stopped, declaring they could
go no further, and that there could not be a more convenient place for
getting rid of their prisoners.

"Heave them over the cliff!" said one, in a low, savage tone. "The
water is deep, and they will be soon washed out to sea."

"Not so certain of that," said another; "better make some stones fast to
their feet to sink them."

"Just to prove that they came to their end by foul means!" observed a
third with a sneer. "No, no, heave 'em over here, they'll never speak
again after they reach the bottom, and no one will be able to tell but
what they fell over of themselves."

This agreeable discussion afforded Charley the first intimation that old
Tom was near him, and directly afterwards he heard his voice saying, "Do
what you like with me, mates, but let that young lad go free. How would
you like to have one of your own boys or young brothers treated as you
threaten to treat him? There's life and work and happiness in him, and
you'd just knock it all to pieces for the sake of a paltry revenge.
What good can killing the boy do to any of you? Why, I'll tell you--
murder will out, and you'll all be hanged, every one of you."

"Hold your jaw!" exclaimed one of the smugglers; "we've made up our
minds, and you'll both go the same way."

Neither Charley nor Tom were of a disposition to beg for their lives;
besides, they believed that if the ruffians had determined to kill them,
no entreaties would make them alter their minds. Charley, not to lose
precious time, tried to prepare himself for de