APTER TWELVE.

"You are making a mistake," said Archy softly.

"Oh!"

There was a cry and a quick rustling toward the door.

"Don't--don't cry out; I did not come to frighten you."

"Who are you?"

"I am from the cutter lying off the coast. You saw me and spoke to me
to-day when the dog came at me."

There was a low wailing sound which troubled the midshipman, and he said
quickly,--

"Can you not believe me? I did not come to frighten you; you frightened
me."

"Then, why are you here? How dare you break into our house. Oh, I
know! I know!"

"Don't cry," he said. "I was obliged to come. It was by accident I
came into this room. I was trying to find out about the smugglers."

"And--and--you have not found out anything?" came in quick, frightened
tones.

Archy was silent.

"Why don't you speak, sir?"

"What am I to say? I am on duty. Yes, I have found out all I wanted to
know."

"Ah!" came again out of the darkness, in a low wailing tone.

"I wish you would believe me, that I am in as great trouble about it as
you are."

"But your men. They are close here, then, and they frightened these
people away."

"I suppose so. I don't know," said Archy.

"Don't they know that you are here?"

"No."

"But you will go and tell all you have found out?"

"Yes," said Archy, slowly as he strained his eyes to try and make out
the speaker.

"That my father, Sir Risdon Graeme, has smuggled goods here?"

"What else can I do?" replied Archy sadly.

There was a sound of breath being drawn sharply through the teeth, and
then the voice seemed changed as the next words came,--

"Do you know what this means?"

Archy was silent.

"They will put him in prison, and--and--"

There was a low burst of sobbing, and the young midshipman felt his own
breast swell.

Suddenly the sobbing ceased, and the girl said slowly,--

"You shall not tell. It is not my father's doing. He could not help
it. He hates the smugglers. You shall not tell. Pray, pray, say you
will not!"

Archy was silent.

"Do you not hear me?" came in imperious tones.

"Yes, I hear you," he replied; "but it is my duty, and--"

"Yes--yes--speak!"

"I must."

"Oh!"

The interjection came as if it were the outcome of sudden passion.
There was a quick, rustling sound, and before the boy could realise what
was to come, the door was closed, the lock shot into its socket, and he
heard the grinding sound of bolts, top and bottom.