all hands, or blow up, or cast on shore, or a sea washes
over the deck, and sweeps all before it, or the masts are carried away,
and crush those beneath them."

"Oh, pray do not talk of all the fearful things which happen to
sailors," exclaimed Miss Mary. "I am sure I wish that you could get Sir
Ralph's leave to marry, and come and settle quietly at Downside, instead
of roaming about over the ocean; it would be a happier life, I think."

Harry, as he pictured May as his wife, thought so too at that moment,
but could he abandon the profession he loved, and the prospects of
promotion and honour? For May he could abandon all; but would it be
wise? That was not a subject he could just then think very clearly
about.

He waited and waited, but May did not return. At last he thought of
going to work at the grotto. The ladies said they should be much
obliged if he would do so.

At length he recollected that he had promised to escort Headland and
Julia. He would ride back to Texford, and by the time he had returned
with them he hoped to find May at Downside.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

MAD SAL.

We must now go back to Jacob. On recovering his senses and finding his
limbs tightly lashed, he in vain attempted to free himself. He was
unable to shout out for assistance, for a gag had been thrust into his
mouth, while an handkerchief tightly bound over his eyes prevented him
from seeing.

What his captors were going to do with him he could not tell. "They
will not dare to murder me," he thought; "if they do, no matter; I have
saved May, and father and mother and the ladies will see that they must
keep a careful watch over her lest these villains do what I suspect they
intended doing, and try to carry her off."

As far as Jacob could tell by the feeling of the wind on his cheeks, the
horsemen were taking their way to the Downs. That road was little
frequented, and he knew his captors would not venture to carry him thus
openly where they were likely to meet any one who would recognise him.

"I was sure it was the villain Gaffin who has played me this trick,"
thought Jacob, as he found the direction in which he was going. "He has
missed his aim if it was to get hold of our May, that's one comfort."

At last the men stopped. Jacob found himself lifted from the horse and
dragged into a house. He had little doubt that it was the mill-house.
He had often heard of the desperate characters who frequented it, and
the