t, as the
others passed me, crying "Help!"

"What the devil! Oars, my men; here's somebody overboard," cried the
man, whose oar I had seized.

They stopped pulling; he dragged in his oar till he could lay hold of
me, and then they hauled me into the boat. I was exhausted with cold
and my energetic struggles in the water; and it was not until they had
wrapped me up in a great-coat, and poured some spirits down my throat;
that I could speak. They inquired to which of the craft I belonged.

"The Folly barge."

"The very one we are searching for. Where about is she, my lad?"

I directed them: the boat was a large wherry, pulling six oars,
belonging to the river police. The officer in the stern sheets, who
steered her, then said, "How came you overboard?"

"I was thrown overboard," replied I, "by a man called Fleming."

"The name he goes by," cried the officer. "Give way, my lads. There's
murder, it appears, as well as other charges."

In a quarter of an hour we were alongside--the officer and four men
sprang out of the boat, leaving the other two with directions for me to
remain in the boat. Cold and miserable as I was, I was too much
interested in the scene not to rise up from the stern sheets, and pay
attention to what passed. When the officer and his men gained the deck,
they were met by Fleming in the advance, and Marables about a yard or
two behind.

"What's all this?" cried Fleming, boldly. "Are you river pirates, come
to plunder us?"

"Not exactly," replied the officer; "but we are just come to overhaul
you. Deliver up the key of your cabin," continued he, after trying the
door and finding it locked.

"With all my heart, if you prove yourselves authorised to search,"
replied Fleming; "but you'll find no smuggled spirits here, I can tell
you. Marables, hand them the key; I see that they belong to the river
guard."

Marables, who had never spoken, handed the key to the officer, who,
opening a dark lanthorn, went down into the cabin and proceeded in his
search, leaving two of the men to take charge of Fleming and Marables.
But his search was in vain; he could find nothing, and he came out on
deck.

"Well," said Fleming, sarcastically, "have you made a seizure?"

"Wait a little," said the officer; "how many men have you in this
barge?"

"You see them," replied Fleming.

"Yes; but you have a boy; where is he?"

"We have no boy," replied Fleming; "two men are quite enough for this
craft.