serious for
keeping him."

"So it will for breaking loose and swimming ashore after being pressed
for a sailor."

"Yes," cried Aleck; "but--"

"Yes, sir; but," said the smuggler, with a bitter laugh, "it's all
one-sided like. I didn't begin on them--they began on me, to rob a poor
fellow of his liberty. Now, I know it was a foolish thing for those
women to get hold of that boy, half smother him, and shut him up here;
and I don't want to keep him."

"Of course not."

"But what am I to do? If I let him go, and say `Run for it,' he'll be
back before I know where I am with another boat's crew to take me; and
of course, being a man, I shall have to stand fire for everybody.
'Sides which it'll be making known to the Revenue officers where our
lair is, and that'll be ruin to everybody."

"Then you must escape, Eben, for that poor fellow must be set free."

"Don't see it yet, Master Aleck," said the man, stubbornly. "It wants
thinking about. Simplest way seems to me to be that I should put him
out of his misery."

"What! Kill him?"

"Something of that sort, sir."

"Bah! You're laughing at me," cried Aleck. "Come, no nonsense--take me
to him; and he must be set at liberty directly."

"Well, don't be in quite such a hurry, Master Aleck," said the man.
"You ought to play fair after what has passed 'twixt us two."

"And so I will, Eben. I have promised you that I will not tell anyone
about this place."

"That's right enough, sir. So you say I must let him out?"

"Of course."

"Well, don't you think I ought to have my chance to get away?"

"Certainly."

"Very well, then, sir, you must wait a bit. You know what it'll be if
he's let out now."

"No, I don't."

"Very well, then, I'll tell you, sir. He'll forget all about being
treated well and all that sort o' thing, and go and get help to try and
catch me. Then he'll come directly upon the party who've been hunting
me, and I shall be took at once."

"Then you must have a few hours to escape, and then I will set him
free."

"I must have two or three days, or I shall be taken again. But you wait
a bit; he can't be set loose yet. Come and see him now if you like, or
would you rather stay away?"

"I'd rather go to him, poor fellow; he must be in a horrible state."

"Not he," said the smuggler, coolly. "He's had plenty to eat and drink,
and a lot of canvas for a bed. He hasn't hurt."

"You didn't hear his cries for help," said Aleck.

"No