officer, while in the gloom of that ravine he could
easily be taken for a rough-looking carrier belonging to their gang.

"Come on," said the man hauling him along, "I've got a nice little job
for you. I don't care for your sulky looks. Go it, my lads. Got the
lot?" he continued, as a line of loaded men filed past them, they having
to stand back against the rock to let the burdened party pass.

"All? no; nor yet half," was the reply. "There, get on."

"All right. Take it easy," was the reply; and, trying hard to make out
the surroundings, Hilary made no resistance, but let himself be hurried
along down the declivity they were in, till he found himself on a
platform of trampled earth, where, as far as he could make out against
the skyline, a rough kind of shears was rigged up, and, by means of a
block, a couple of men were hauling up packages, and another was landing
them upon the platform, and unfastening and sending down the empty
hooks.

"Here, one of you carry now," said Hilary's captor, "and let this joker
haul. I found him trying to miche, and nipped him as he was skulking
off. Lay hold, you lazy lubber, and haul."

One of the men left the rope, and assuming a sulky, injured manner,
Hilary took his place at the rope, and, upon the signal being given,
hauled away with his new companion, who gave a grunt indicative of
satisfaction, as he found how well Hilary kept time with him, bringing
his strength to bear in unison with the other's, so that they worked
like one man.

"Ah, that's better!" he said. "I've been doing all the work."

They had brought a keg above the cliff edge, and this being detached,
Hilary's captor mounted it upon his shoulders, and the man who had been
hauling in Hilary's place took up a package and they began to move off.

"Let me know if he don't work," said the rough-voiced man.

"I'll soon be back. Mind he don't slip off."

"All right," said Hilary's companion.

"Haul," said a voice, and they pulled up another keg, while the tramping
of men could be plainly heard below, telling Hilary of what was going
on.

"Why," he thought, as he worked steadily on, "this is where they hauled
me up, the rascals; and now--"

He could not help laughing to himself at the strange trick Fate had
played him in setting him, a naval officer, helping a party of smugglers
to land their cargo; but all the same, he gloried in the amount of
information he was picking up for some future time.

"I