lonely, and I am so much alone with an old woman who waits upon us. Why
don't you come out?"

"Because I am a prisoner," he said quietly.

"But I thought--I hoped--papa said you were going to give your parole
not to escape," said Adela; "or else that you were going to join our
cause and fight for the true king."

He shook his head mournfully.

"No, Addy. I cannot give my word of honour not to escape," he said;
"because I hope to get away at the first opportunity."

"Then join our cause," cried Adela.

"No," he said, shaking his head, "I cannot join your cause, Addy,
because I am an officer appointed in the king's name to serve in one of
King George's vessels. I should be a traitor if I forsook my colours."

"But I want you to come," cried Adela, with the wayward tyranny of a
child. "It seems so stupid for you to be shut up there like a wild
beast in a cage. Oh, Hil, you must come on our side! Do!"

"Adela! Adela!" cried an imperious voice.

"Yes, papa, I am coming," she cried; and looking up quickly at the
prisoner, she nodded and laughed, and the next moment she had
disappeared.

Hilary sat watching as if in the hope that she would come back; but he
knew in his heart that she would not, and so it proved at the end of
quite a couple of hours.

"He has told her that she is to hold no communication with such a
fellow," he said to himself. "Poor little Addy! what a sweet little
thing she is growing, and what an impetuous, commanding way she has!"

He sat watching the place still, but without hope. Now and then the
girl's words came to him.

"I seem like a wild beast in a cage, do I?" he said laughing. "Very
good, Miss Addy; then I must gnaw my way out."

As he spoke his eyes fell upon the bit of worsted that was secured to
the cutlass, and he was about to draw it up when he heard footsteps
approaching from the interior, and he leaped lightly down and began
walking about the place as the door was opened, and Allstone held it
back for some of his men to enter with a couple of trusses of straw, a
couple of blankets, a rough three-legged table, and a rougher stool,
which were unceremoniously thrown or jerked down, and then, after a
suspicious look at his prisoner, Allstone motioned to the men to go.

"Is there anything else your lordship would like?" he said with a sneer.
"The best feather-beds are damp, and the carpets have been put away by
mistake. What wines would your lordship like for your d