strong seventeen
may be, it is no match for big, well-set seven-and-thirty.

"No good, youngster," growled the smuggler, as he carried the midshipman
down the slope, and held him at the bottom. "Very good idea, but you
see we didn't mean you to get out like that."

Feeling that he was exhausting himself for nothing, Archy ceased his
struggling, and was held there motionless, as Ram came up with the
lanthorn to begin grinning.

"Bring him along, Jemmy," he said. "His dinner's ready."

"Shall I carry him, lad?"

"Look here," cried Archy haughtily. "You two are, I suppose, quite
ignorant of the consequences of keeping me here?"

"What's he talking about, Jemmy?" said Ram.

"Dunno, lad: something 'bout consequences."

"As soon as it is known that you have seized and kept me here, you will
both be arrested, and have to suffer a long term of imprisonment, even
if you get no worse off."

"But suppose no one knows you are here?" said Ram.

"But it will be known, so I give you both fair warning."

"Thank ye," said Ram mockingly.

"And thank ye for me too, my lad."

"So now, take my advice, open that door, and set me free. If you do
this, I'll promise to intercede for you two, and I daresay I can save
you from punishment."

"Well, that's handsome; isn't it, Jemmy?" said Ram mockingly.

"Do you hear me?" cried Archy.

"Oh, I can, quite plain," said Jemmy.

"So can I," said Ram; "but your dinner's ready, Mr Orficer; so come and
have it."

"Enough of this," cried Archy, wrenching himself free. "Open that door,
and let me go."

"Better carry him, Jemmy."

"If you dare!" cried the angry prisoner, beginning the struggle, but
Jemmy Dadd's muscles were like steel, and he whipped the young
midshipman off his feet, and carried him, kicking and struggling with
all his might, right along the cave, Ram going first with the lanthorn;
and in spite of its feeble, poor, dulled light, the prisoner was able to
get a better idea of the shape and size of the place than he had had
before.

The captive ceased struggling, and keenly watched the various pillars
and heaps they passed, noting too how the cavern seemed to extend in a
wide passage right on before them, and seemingly endless gloom.

"There you are," said Jemmy, as he set his burden down; "quite at home.
Is he going to ask us to dinner, Ram, lad, and send for his skipper to
jyne us?"

Archy paid no heed to the man's jeering words, for he was thinking of
th