ry soon."

"Oh, yes, I'm all right. What's the good of making a fuss. Going
ashore?"

"Yes. Do you want to go?"

Ram shook his head.

"No; I should only see some of our chaps, and it would look as if I'd
been splitting on them; and I didn't, did I?"

"No; you behaved very bravely and well, Ram."

"Mean it--_sir_?"

"Yes, I do, indeed."

"Thank ye--sir," said Ram. "No, don't let the skipper send me ashore;
and--I say--"

"Yes?"

"Tell mother I'm all right, and that I shan't have to go to prison, and
that I'll get some one to tell her how I'm getting on now and then.
She's a good one is mother, that she is."

"I'll tell her you have given up all smuggling, and that you are going
to be a good sailor now."

"Yes, do, please--sir. She hates the smuggling, and used to beg father
not, but he would do it. And I say, are you going up to the Hoze?"

"Yes; we shall search the farm and the Hoze too."

"Won't find nothing at the farm. Father never had nothing there, not
even a keg. And you won't find nothing at the Hoze."

"Not in the cellar?"

"No," said Ram frankly.

"How long has that Sir Risdon Graeme been a smuggler?"

"Him? Never was one, poor old chap, only father good as made him lend
us his cellar, because it was nice and handy, and nobody would think of
going and searching there. Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Ram, showing his white
teeth; "you people went up there one day and touched your hats to Sir
Risdon, and were afraid to go close up to the house, when all the time
the cellar was choke full."

"I remember," said the midshipman; "and I found it out. But look here,
Ram, how could your father make Sir Risdon, who is a gentleman, lend him
the cellar?"

"'Cause father and mother used to pretty well keep 'em. I had to be
always going without father knowing, and taking 'em bread and butter and
bacon and eggs. They just are poor. Mother used to send me, and she
often used to tell me that they was 'most starved to death."

"Then Sir Risdon didn't get anything by the smuggling?"

"Him!" cried Ram. "Why, father sent me up one day with a keg of brandy
for him, and a piece of silk for her ladyship; I did get hot that day
carrying of 'em up the hill. It was last summer."

"Yes; and what did Sir Risdon say?"

"Say? He 'most shied 'em at me, and I had to carry 'em back. My! That
was a hot day and no mistake."

Somehow Archy felt relieved about the Graemes, and, after a little
consideration