to talk, however, had they
been awake. The only other sounds which reached him were the occasional
footsteps of the watch on deck, as they paced over his head, or the
creaking of the jaws of the mainboom and gaff, and, now and then, the
flap of the mainsail. In vain he tried to get one subject out of his
head--the thought of the flogging. Not that he dreaded the pain he
should suffer one-tenth part so much as he did the disgrace. His
father's heart would well-nigh break should he hear of it. The stout
English yeoman was as proud in his way as was the Marquis of Elverston.

"It is he--he, that Lord Reginald, who has brought me to this!" he
muttered, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. "If ever I have
the chance I will be revenged on him! I must, I could not help it."
Dick conjured up a fearful picture--the young lord in his power, his
hand upon his throat. He forgot that it was through his own folly that
he had enabled Lord Reginald to treat him in the way he had done. Had
he kept free of the smugglers, had he not been tempted to desert, Lord
Reginald, when exhibiting his ill feeling, would have been seen by all
to be in the wrong.

The cutter made no way during the night, and though she drifted to the
westward with one tide, the flood carried her as far back again; so that
when morning broke The Start and Portland Bill were almost at equal
distances from her. Dick dozed off while the crew were washing decks.
He was only fully aroused when, as before, breakfast was brought down
for the prisoners. After some time, sounds of laughter and frequent
footsteps reached his ears, and he guessed that the commander with his
young passengers were walking the deck after their breakfast. Presently
he heard the former order the steward to hand him his spyglass.

"What is she, Mr Mason?" asked Lord Reginald.

"A large lugger, at all events. She may be a Jersey privateer, or she
may be French. As she is bringing up a fresh breeze from the eastward,
we shall know more about her soon."

"Suppose she is French, shall you attack her?" asked Voules, in a tone
which showed no great satisfaction at the thoughts of such an event
taking place.

"She is more likely to attack us, as she probably carries six or eight
guns and one long nine-pounder. Such is the armament of most of those
craft, and twice as many hands as we can muster, while we have only got
our four small carronades, which are of very little use except a