e last, and its so plaguy dark, too, I don't seem to hit
it at all."

"Give way, there, and let another man come to the front," said the
lieutenant.

Tom Tully did give way, and another and another tried, but made worse of
it, for the big fellow did blunder on somehow, no matter what obstacles
presented themselves; and at last, quite in despair, just as the sounds
in front were dying right away, almost the last man being up the cliff,
the great sailor clambered over a huge block of rock and uttered a shout
of joy.

"Here's the place, your honour, here's the place!" he shouted, and the
lieutenant and the men scrambled to his side.

"Well," cried the lieutenant, "what have you found? Where are we?"

"We're here, your honour," cried Tom Tully eagerly. "We're all right.
Oh lor', look out! what's that 'ere?"

For just at that moment there was the whizz made by a running out rope,
a rushing sound, a heavy body came plump on Tom Tully's shoulders, and
he was dashed to the ground.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

ON BOARD ONCE MORE.

There was an attempt at flight on the part of the _Kestrels_, but there
was no room to fly, though the general impression was that the smugglers
were about to hurl down pieces of rock upon them from above, but their
dread was chased away by a well-known voice exclaiming:

"All right, my lads: I'm not killed."

"But you've 'most killed me," growled Tom Tully.

"Never mind, Tom. You shall have some grog when we get back aboard.
Who's in command?"

"I am, sir," exclaimed the lieutenant from somewhere at the back; "and I
beg to know what is the meaning of this indecorous proceeding."

"Well, sir," said Hilary, "I was in a hurry to rejoin the ship's
company, and I was coming down a rope when some one above cast it off."

"Three cheers for Muster Leigh!" cried a voice.

"Silence!" roared the lieutenant. "Now, Mr Leigh, if you are not
joined to the band of rascals show us the way to them."

"There's no way here, sir, unless we bring a long spar and rig up some
tackle. The rock's forty feet high, and as straight as a wall. Will
you let me speak to you, sir?"

The lieutenant grunted, and Hilary limped to his side.

"Now, Mr Leigh," he said, "I will hear what you have to say; but have
the goodness to consider yourself under arrest."

"All right, sir," replied Hilary; "I'm used to that sort of thing now."

"Where have you been, sir?"

"Made prisoner by the smugglers, sir. And now,