oment the door closed, and Miles was left alone.

It is impossible to describe the state of mind in which our hero paced
his cell during the next hour. The intense pity, mingled with anxiety
and fierce indignation, that burned in his bosom were almost unbearable.
"Oh!" he thought, "if I were only once more free, for one moment, with
a weapon in my hand, I'd--"

He wisely checked himself in the train of useless thought at this point.
Then he sat down on the floor, covered his face with his hands, and
tried to pray, but could not. Starting up, he again paced wildly about
the cell like a caged tiger. After what seemed to him an age he heard
footsteps in the outer court. The door opened, and the sailor was
thrust in. Staggering forward a step or two, he was on the point of
falling when Miles caught him in his arms, and let him sink gently on
the ground, and, sitting down beside him, laid his head upon his knee.
From the inflamed red mark which encircled the seaman's powerful neck,
it was obvious enough that the cruel monsters had again put him to the
tremendous mental agony of supposing that his last hour had come.

"Help me up, lad, and set my back agin the wall," he said, in a low
voice.

As Miles complied, one or two tears that would not be repressed fell
from his eyes on the sailor's cheek.

"You're a good fellow," said Molloy, looking up. "I thank the Lord for
sendin' you to comfort me, and I _do_ need comfort a bit just now, d'ee
know. There--I'm better a'ready, an' I'll be upside wi' them next time,
for I feels, somehow, that I couldn't stand another turn. Poor Moses!
I do hope that the interpreter is the liar he looks, and that they
haven't treated the poor fellow to this sort o' thing."

Even while he spoke, the door of the cell again opened and armed men
entered.

"Ay, here you are," cried the sailor, rising quickly and attempting to
draw himself up and show a bold front. "Come away an' welcome. I'm
ready for 'ee."

But the men had not come for Molloy. They wanted Miles, over whom there
came a sudden and dreadful feeling of horror, as he thought they were
perhaps going to subject him to the same ordeal as his friend.

"Keep up heart, lad, and trust in the Lord," said the sailor, in an
encouraging tone as they led our hero away.

The words were fitly spoken, and went far to restore to the poor youth
the courage that for a moment had forsaken him. As he emerged into the
bright light, which da