nd there's trouble
about it, you know what to say."

Archy heard all this, and it seemed to him that the party were about to
pass him, when a voice he well knew growled out,--

"Hit me an awful whack with a stick."

"Ay, I got one too, my lad; and I didn't like to use my cutlash."

"Wish we'd took a prisoner, or knocked one or two down. Why, here is
one."

There was a buzz of voices, and Archy felt himself hoisted up.

"Can you stand? Not wounded, are you? Who cut him down?"

"Well, I'm 'fraid it was me," said one of the familiar voices. "Why, he
is a prisoner ready made."

"What? Here, cut him loose, lads. Hullo, my lad, who are you?"

"Take this off," panted Archy in a stifled voice; and then, as the sack
was dragged over his head, he uttered a sigh, and staggered, and would
have fallen, had not one of the men caught him.

"Hold up, lad. Not hurt, are you?"

"No," said Archy hoarsely.

"Who are you? What were they going to do with you?"

"Don't you know me, Mr Gurr?"

"Mr Raystoke!"

The rest of his speech, if he said anything, was drowned in a hearty
cheer as the men pressed round.

"Well, I am glad!" cried the master. "We've been ashore a dozen times,
my lad, and searched everywhere, till the skipper thought you must have
run away."

"Run away!" cried Archy huskily. "I've been a prisoner."

"Those were smugglers, then?"

"Yes," cried Archy; "but they shall smart for all this. I know where
all their hiding-places are, and we'll hunt them down."

"Hooray!" shouted the men.

"Were you looking for me?"

"Well, not to-night, my lad. Making a bit of a patrol," said Gurr.
"The skipper thought that perhaps we might run against something or
another, and we have and no mistake. But what's the matter? Not hurt,
are you?"

"No, not much. I got a blow on the shoulder, and then some one gave me
a chop with a cutlass."

"That was you, Dirty Dick! I did see that," cried one of the men.

"Well, I don't say it warn't me. How was I to know it was a orsifer in
the dark, and smothered up like that?"

"Are you wounded, then?" cried the master excitedly.

"No; it felt more like a blow, but people kept trampling on me after I
was down."

"That's bad," said Gurr, giving vent to a low whistle. "Here, lads,
let's carry him to the boat."

"No, no!" cried the midshipman. "I think I can walk. I could hardly
breathe."

"Well, go steady, then. It's on'y 'bout half a mile to the cove. W