her sharp
whistle rang out at a distance.

"Well, he might have been civil," said Aleck.

"Haw! haw! haw! Fancy your asking a luff-tenant on duty that, Master
Aleck!" said Tom, laughing, and talking with his mouth full, for he had
recommenced his unfinished meal.

"It wouldn't have hurt him," said Aleck. "Here, leave off eating, Tom,
and let's get away from here. I don't want to be mixed up with this
horrid business."

"'Tis horrid, sir, to you, but I got used to it," said the man, rolling
off the side to begin swaying the boat, Aleck leaping out on the other
side.

"No good, sir. She's fast for another half-hour. Tide rises very
slowly round here."

"Then we shall have to stop here and listen. Hark, that's glass
breaking. People struggling too. I say, Tom, try again; push hard."

"Hard as you tells me, sir; but it's no good--her deep keel's right down
in this here fine shingle. We must wait till the tide lifts her."

The sailor stopped short to listen, for the noise which came to them on
the still night air increased. Hoarse voices ringing out defiance,
savage yells and curses, mingled with the shrieks and appeals of angry
women, smote upon the listeners' ears, and Aleck stamped one foot with
impatient rage.

"Oh, Tom," he cried, "I can't bear it. I never heard anything of this
kind before."

"And don't want to hear it again, sir, o' course. Well, it arn't nice.
I didn't like it till I got used to it, and then I didn't seem to mind."

"How brutal!" said Aleck, angrily. "Hark at that!"

"I hear, sir. That's some o' the fishermen's wives letting go."

"Yes; and you speak in that cool way. Aren't you sorry for them?"

"Nay, sir; not me. I'm sorry for the poor sailor boys."

"What!" cried Aleck, angrily. "Tom, I didn't think you could be so
brutal."

"You don't understand, sir. That's the women shouting and screaming as
they give it to the press-gang. It's the sailors gets hits and
scratches and called all sorts o' names, and they're 'bliged to take it
all. But, my word, there's getting to be a shindy to-night and no
mistake. Let's try again to get the boat off!"

They tried; but she was immovable, save that they could rock her from
side to side.

"We'll do it in another ten minutes, Master Aleck, and then we'd better
row till we're outside the harbour. Hark at 'em now! That's not the
women now; that's the men. I say, I b'lieve there's a good dozen o' the
smuggling lot about