o you."

"You scoundrel!" cried Archy, "how dare you say that? You know you are
breaking the laws by smuggling, and you are doing worse by kidnapping
me."

"Should have kep' away then," growled the man.

"Don't speak cross to him, Jemmy. He's very sorry he came now, and if I
let him go he'll promise not to say a word about what he has seen; won't
you now, mate?"

"No!" roared Archy.

"Oh, well then, Jemmy's right. We shall have to tame you down."

"Show me the way out of this."

"Come along then," said Ram with a sneering laugh. "But you'd better
promise."

"Show me the way out."

"Won't you have some milk first?"

"Do you hear me?"

"And bread and butter, home-made?"

"Will you show me the way out."

"Nor no ham? You must be hungry!"

"You scoundrel!" cried Archy, who was exasperated almost beyond bearing.
"Show me the way out."

"Oh, very well, this way, then. Hold him tight, Jemmy."

"Ay, ay, lad!"

"This way, my grand officer without your fine clothes," said Ram
tauntingly, as he held down the lanthorn to show the rough stone floor.
"Mind how you put your feet, and take care. Why don't you come?"

Archy made a start forward, but he was tightly held.

"Why don't you come, youngster?" cried Ram mockingly, as he held the
lanthorn more closely. "There, now then, mind how you come."

_Whang_!

The dull sound was followed by a faint clatter, and all was black
darkness again, for raging with hunger and annoyance as the boy was,
tightly held, the light down just in front of him, without any warning
Archy drew back slightly, delivered one quick, sharp kick full at the
lanthorn, and it flew right away into the darkness.

"Well!" ejaculated Ram in his first moment of surprise. Then he burst
into a roar of laughter which echoed from the roof.

"You're a nice un," growled Jemmy.

"Let him go, and come on," cried Ram.

A sudden thought struck the middy.

"No, you don't," he muttered, as he wrenched himself round and clung to
the man. "If you are going from here, I go too."

"Got the lanthorn, Ram, lad?" cried Jemmy.

"No; and it's smashed now. Come away."

"Let go, will you?" growled Jemmy.

For answer the midshipman held on more tightly.

"Do you hear? Come on!" cried Ram.

"He won't let go. He's holding on legs, wings and teeth. Come and
help."

"Get out: you can manage him. Put him on his back."

No sooner were the words uttered than, as he struggled there in the
b