r across the chest, older, his limbs better knit, and in
every way the more powerful. He too, I saw, was taking stock of me, and
marking from my Frame and my Mien that, although young, I was likely to
prove an Ugly Customer, he outs with a pistol from under his jerkin, and
holds it to my head with one hand, while with the other he blows a smart
call upon a silver whistle suspended by a lanyard round his neck.

In a moment the room was full of blue-frocked ruffians; a dozen pistols
were levelled at my head, a dozen cutlasses drawn menacingly against me.
Before I knew where I was I was tripped up, knocked down from behind, a
gag forced into my mouth, and a pair of handcuffs slipped on to my
wrists.

"No offence, shipmate," said a big fellow with black whiskers, as he
knelt on my chest and screwed the manacles on so tightly that I gave a
scream of pain. "We always begin in this here way--we crimps our cod
before we cooks it. To-morrow morning, when you've had your grog, you'll
be as gentle as a lamb, and after your first cruise you'll be as ready
as ere a one of us to come cub-hunting."

Upon this there entered the room he whom the coxswain had spoken of as
the Midshipmite, and who I rightly conjectured to be in authority over
these dare-devils. He was a young man wearing his own hair, which was
bright red. His face was all covered with pimples, and his mouth was
harelipped from a sword cut. He had canvas bags and grey ribbed hose
like a common sailor, but his hat was bound with a scrap of dirty gold
lace; he had a hanger at his side, and on his threadbare blue coat I
could see the King's button. Withal he was a very precise gentleman, and
would listen to nothing but facts. He bade his men remove the gag from
my mouth, and then addressed me.

"The fact of the matter is," says he, "that you've been kicking up a
devil of a row, and that you'd much better have gone quietly with the
coxswain."

"Why am I kidnapped? why have you put these footpad bracelets on me?" I
cried out, passionately.

"The fact of the matter is that we always do it to save time and
trouble," answered the Midshipmite--"Easy and quiet is the word at the
'Admiral Benbow.'"

"I'll have the law of you!" I exclaimed, in a rage.

"Exactly so," quoth the Midshipmite, quite politely. "May I ask if
you're a free-man of the City of London?"

"I am not."

"Precisely so. Are you a waterman, duly entered at your Hall, and all
arrears paid up, or an appren