mate for the voyage, as it was summer time; not that he should like him
to do that. Jessie thought that Captain Mudge would not hesitate about
having the _Amity_ repaired. How could he, when so important an event
depended on his decision! At length granny came back into the room,
with a smile on her countenance, and, sitting down in her arm-chair,
looked up at the tall clock in the corner, which had gone "tick! tick!
tick!" unheeded for an hour or more since supper.

"Well, my dears, is it all settled?" she asked.

"Yes," answered Ralph. "Jessie has promised to make me the happiest
young fellow alive next Monday--though I am wonderfully happy for that
matter at present,"--and jumping up he kissed granny's hand and thanked
her again and again for the gift she had bestowed on him, and then he
ran back to Jessie's side.

At that instant there came several thundering blows on the door from a
heavy cudgel, and a gruff voice cried out, "Open in the King's name;"
while another was heard to say, in a lower tone, "Go round to the back
and look out that he does not escape by that way."

CHAPTER TWO.

When Dick Bracewell entered the tavern, he intended merely to take a
glass of liquor, just to show his independence, and then to follow his
friend. He, however, found a shipmate, Tom Joyce, in the bar, who
easily persuaded him to take a second, followed, naturally, by a third;
and then, his spirits raised, he was induced to accompany his companion
to a dancing hall attached to a public-house in one of the back streets
not far off. Upwards of fifty seamen were collected, many of them
half-seas-over, when a press-gang, to whose commanding officer notice
had been given of what was going forward (very likely by the landlord
himself), rushed in, and, after a severe struggle, captured whole of
them, including Dick and Tom, who, having only just fallen into the
trap, were the most sober of the party.

While the more unruly were carried down at once to the boats, Dick and
Tom with a few others were marched along by the larger part of the
press-gang, who were evidently intent on making further captures.

The two captives had their wits wide awake, and were not without hopes
of effecting their escape.

The press-gang went on till they reached the outskirts of the town, when
they brought up before a neat little cottage. Three men were sent round
to the back-door, while five others advanced to the front entrance and
knocked