hom have you got there, Tim?" he called out, standing up in the boat
to get a view of me.

"Mr. Ford, sir, purser's assistant of his Majesty's ship _Talisman_."

At that moment the boat came alongside and my cousin leaped on to the
deck, followed by four or five of the crew. He surveyed me with a
glance of bitter hatred, mingled with triumph.

"So, cousin, I did not kill you after all! Never mind, I am glad you
have remembered your old articles and are come to join us once more.
We have lacked a cabin-boy since your desertion, and if his Majesty
can spare you, we shall be glad of your services."

I was too confounded to reply, or to take much heed of this mocking
harangue. I had as firmly believed Rupert to be dead as, it seems, he
had believed me. The truth, as I gathered it by degrees afterwards,
seemed to be this: At the moment of my casting him out of the boat in
which we had fought, the other boat was returning to find out what had
been the result of the battle. They had first picked up Rupert out of
the water, when he was on the point of death, and had then found me
senseless, and to all appearance mortally wounded, where I had fallen.
They carried us both back with them, and finding Rupert revived, had
concealed him on the _Fair Maid_ till she should sail. The boatswain,
out of a kindness for me, and knowing the other's vindictive nature,
had persuaded him that it was impossible for me to recover, and so
they had left me.

As soon as I was able to collect myself I demanded to have speech with
Mr. Sims, the captain.

"You will meet with Mr. Sims where you are going," retorted Rupert.
"In the meantime any business you have with the captain of this vessel
may be transacted with me."

"Then I insist that you put me ashore instantly," I said, with
resolution. "Would you kidnap me under the very guns of his Majesty's
fleet?"

"Not so fast," returned Rupert, keeping his temper, as he could afford
to do, having the upper hand. "You have forgot your indentures, by
which you are bound apprentice to the good ship _Fair Maid_, sailing
under his Majesty's letters of marque and commission."

"Under a forged commission," I retorted hotly. "I refuse to be bound
by indentures to a pirate!"

This outburst was, no doubt, what my cousin had been waiting for, to
set the opinion of the crew against me. He now turned to his
followers, very stern.

"Take this youth down to the forecastle and put him in irons. If he
repeat