th your plans!' replied his accomplice; 'you
have planned me out of ship, cargo, and life; and I dreamt this moment
that Meg Merrilies dragged you here by the hair and gave me the long
clasped knife she used to wear; you don't know what she said.
Sturmwetter! it will be your wisdom not to tempt me!'

'But, Hatteraick, my good friend, do but rise and speak to me,' said
Glossin.

'I will not!' answered the savage, doggedly. 'You have caused all the
mischief; you would not let Meg keep the boy; she would have returned him
after he had forgot all.'

'Why, Hatteraick, you are turned driveller!'

'Wetter! will you deny that all that cursed attempt at Portanferry, which
lost both sloop and crew, was your device for your own job?'

'But the goods, you know--'

'Curse the goods!' said the smuggler, 'we could have got plenty more;
but, der deyvil! to lose the ship and the fine fellows, and my own life,
for a cursed coward villain, that always works his own mischief with
other people's hands! Speak to me no more; I'm dangerous.'

'But, Dirk--but, Hatteraick, hear me only a few words.'

'Hagel! nein.'

'Only one sentence.'

'Tousand curses! nein.'

'At least get up, for an obstinate Dutch brute!' said Glossin, losing his
temper and pushing Hatteraick with his foot.

'Donner and blitzen!' said Hatteraick, springing up and grappling with
him; 'you WILL have it then?'

Glossin struggled and resisted; but, owing to his surprise at the fury of
the assault, so ineffectually that he fell under Hatteraick, the back
part of his neck coming full upon the iron bar with stunning violence.
The death-grapple continued. The room immediately below the condemned
ward, being that of Glossin, was, of course, empty; but the inmates of
the second apartment beneath felt the shock of Glossin's heavy fall, and
heard a noise as of struggling and of groans. But all sounds of horror
were too congenial to this place to excite much curiosity or interest.

In the morning, faithful to his promise, Mac-Guffog came. 'Mr. Glossin,'
said he, in a whispering voice.

'Call louder,' answered Dirk Hatteraick.

'Mr. Glossin, for God's sake come away!'

'He'll hardly do that without help,' said Hatteraick.

'What are you chattering there for, Mac-Guffog?' called out the captain
from below.

'Come away, for God's sake, Mr. Glossin!' repeated the turnkey.

At this moment the jailor made his appearance with a light. Great was his
surprise, and even