owardly spy. I couldn't
think o' them words, but they're just what he is.--Say, Mas' Don."

"Don't, don't, don't, Jem."

"Don't what, Mas' Don?"

"Don't do that. _Master Don_. It sounds so foolish, and it's
ridiculous, seeing what we are."

"All right, my lad, I'll be careful; but what I wanted to say was, would
there be any harm in taking Master Ramsden by his waistband, and
dropping him some night over into the sea?"

"Do you want to commit murder, Jem?"

"Do I want to commit murder? Nay, Mas' Don, gently, gently; don't talk
to a man like that. I only meant to give him a ducking."

"Amongst the sharks?"

"Ugh! I forgot all about the sharks, Mas' Don. I say, think there are
many of 'em about?"

"They say there are plenty, and we saw a monster, Jem."

"So we did, my lad; so we did, and a nice lot o' worry he's got us in
through stealing that boathook. But, look here, how do you feel now?"

"Heart-sick and tired of it all, Jem. I wish we had run off when we had
the chance."

"You do?"

"I do. See how we have been served: dragged from our homes, roughly
used; bullied and ill-treated; and with that man's word taken before
ours. It's too bad--too bad."

"Well, it is, Mas' Don," whispered Jem. "But you see it was awkward.
You couldn't swear as you hadn't thoughts of deserting."

"Deserting?" said Don hotly. "I will not have it called deserting. I
say it is only claiming our liberty, when we have been seized upon and
treated like slaves."

"What a weather-cocky way you have got, Mas' Don. Only t'other day you
was all on the other tack, and says, says you, `It's deserting, and
cowardly,' and a lot more to that tune, and the way you went on at me,
sir, made my hair curl."

"I had not had this last blow, Jem. I had not been put in irons then
like a common thief."

"Silence, below there!" cried an angry voice. "Sentry, stop that
talking by the prisoners."

The marine marched slowly toward them, and growled out his orders.
Then, settling his head in his stiff stock, he faced round and marched
away.

"All right, Jolly," said Jem, good-humouredly; and then drawing closer
to his companion in misfortune, he went on talking in a whisper.

"Say, Mas' Don, do you mean it now?"

"Mean what?"

"Going? It's now or never. If we waits till we goes off to sea again
our chance is gone."

"I mean it, Jem."

"That's a good bargain, my lad," said Jem, slapping him on the knee.
"Then the sooner