an end of it."

"That water cask!" the marquis said. "That is an eighteen gallon
cask. It is as much as we can lift it, much less heave it through
the air."

"I can do it, never fear," Rupert said. "You forget my exercises at
Loches, and as a miller's man.

"My only fear," he said in a low voice, "is that they may shoot me
as I come to the side with it. For that reason we had better begin
to fire. I don't want to kill any of them, but just to draw their
fire. Then, just as they come alongside put a cap and a cloak on
that stick, and raise them suddenly. Any who are still loaded are
sure to fire the instant it appears."

The marquis nodded, and they began to fire over the stern, just
raising their heads, and instantly lowering them. The boats again
began to fire heavily. Not a man in the boats was hit, for neither
of those in the lugger took aim. The men cheered, and rowed
lustily, and soon the boat was within ten yards of the lugger,
coming up to board at the side. Rupert went to the water barrel,
and rolled it to the bulwarks at the point towards which the boat
was making. The marquis stooped behind the bulwarks, a few paces
distant, with the dummy.

"Now!" Rupert said, stooping over the barrel, as the boat made a
dash at the side.

The marquis lifted the dummy, and five or six muskets were
simultaneously discharged. Then a cry of amazement and horror
arose, as Rupert, with the barrel poised above his head, reared
himself above the bulwarks. He bent back to gain impetus, and then
hurled the barrel into the boat as she came within a yard of the
side of the lugger.

There was a wild shout, a crash of timber, and in an instant the
shattered boat was level with the water, and the men were holding
on, or swimming for their lives. A minute later the other boat was
on the spot, and the men were at work picking up their comrades. By
the time all were in, she was only an inch or two out of the water,
and there was only room for two men to pull; and the last thing
those on board the lugger saw of her in the gathering darkness, she
was slowly making her way towards shore.

Now that all immediate danger was at an end, the marquis took the
tiller, and Rupert lifted the hatchway.

"The captain and two of the crew may come on deck if they promise
to behave well," he said.

There was a shout of laughter, and all the sailors pressed up,
eager to know how the pursuit had been shaken off. When Rupert told
them simply that