The Lost Middy Part 47

"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 pa.s.sed '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, or I should have come down to quiet him if I'd been near," said the smuggler, gruffly. "Come on."

He led the way farther in away from the mouth of the cavern, and in and out amongst rocks which lay about the rugged floor, the course being beside the water, which now began to grow of a jetty black, while from time to time Aleck caught a gleam of something bright overhead, showing that here and there the roof came lower. He saw, too, that the winding, ca.n.a.l-like channel of water gradually grew narrower, till the lanthorn illumined the place sufficiently for the lad to see that they could easily cross to the other side by stepping from rock to rock, which rose above the shallow water.

"We'll go over here," said the smuggler, "but by and by the water will be right over there, and you have to go right to the end and climb along the ledge. Can you see where to step?"

"Yes. Go on."

"Mind how you come; the stones here are slippery with the wet seaweed."

"I can manage," said Aleck, and he carefully stepped across and stood on the other side. "Now, where is he?"

"Yonder, half way up that side! There's a snug hole there, plenty big enough for him. I've slept there lots of times when we've been busy."

Aleck did not enquire what the business was, but he surmised as he followed the guide, with the light from the lanthorn enabling him to see where to put his feet.

They were now going back towards the submerged mouth of the vast cavern, and Aleck felt a strange sensation of relief even at this, for thoughts would keep crowding into his brain about what would be the consequence if a greater tide than usual flooded the place, a thought so horrible that the perspiration stood out upon his forehead, though it might have been caused by the exertion of stepping over the rugged floor and the heat of the place.

"Isn't he very quiet?" whispered Aleck.

"Yes, but he's watching us," said the man, in a hoa.r.s.e whisper, while Aleck looked in vain for a likely place to be the young officer's prison, "over yonder" being a very vague indication.

Just then the smuggler began to step up a steep slope of moderate-sized rocks piled one upon the other, to stop short about ten feet above where his companion was standing.

He held the lanthorn down low for the lad to see, and as Aleck stood beside him he raised the light as high as he could, so that the dim rays fell upon the angry staring eyes of the young officer, who lay upon a thick cushion composed of many folds of sail-cloth, the bolt ropes and reef points in which showed plainly that it had been in use possibly in connection with some unfortunate vessel wrecked upon the rocks of the iron-bound coast.

The face was familiar enough to Aleck as the midshipman hitched himself up a little higher upon the elbow which supported him, and his new visitor saw that the fierce eyes were not directed at him, but at the smuggler who bore the lanthorn.

"Then you've come at last?" he said, fiercely. "Now, then, no more of this tomfool acting; unlock this iron and take me out into the fresh air, or as sure as you stand there, you great, black-muzzled, piratical-looking scoundrel, I'll say such things about you to the captain that he'll hang you to the yard-arm, and serve you right."

"What!" growled the smuggler. "Not got tame yet?"

"Tame, you miserable ruffian! How dare you speak to an officer in His Majesty's Navy like that? There never was such an outrage before.

Unfasten these irons, I say, and take me out!"

"Why, skipper," said the smuggler, mockingly, "your temper gets worse and worse."

"My temper, you dog!" cried the midshipman, furiously. "How dare you treat me like this?"

"And how dare you come with your gang, knocking honest men on the head and dragging them off to sea?" retorted Eben. "You'd think nothing of putting them in irons because they wouldn't take to the sea. How do you like it, my young springold?"

"I'm not going to argue with you, you ruffian, about that," cried the midshipman. "Now, look here, that woman who brought me the wretched food said she dare not and could not unlock that iron I've got round my ankle, but that when her husband came I was to ask him. Now, then, you're the husband, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes, I'm the husband, safe enough," growled the smuggler.

"Then I order you in the King's name to take these irons off."

"You wait a bit, captain," said the smuggler; "all in good time. Here, take it coolly for a bit longer; I've brought you some company."

"Ah, who's that with you? I thought I saw someone and heard whispering."

The smuggler held the lanthorn lower and opened the door, so that the candle light shone full on Aleck's face.

"You?" cried the midshipman, excitedly. "Then I was right; I thought you were one of the smuggling gang."

"Then you thought wrong," said Aleck, shortly.

"What do you want here?" cried the prisoner, wildly, for the fit of rage and command into which he had forced himself was fast dying down into misery and despair.

"I've come to help you, middy," cried Aleck, warmly, and he sank upon one knee and caught the poor fellow's hand.