ft the room; and in a few minutes four sailors entered, and,
taking up one of the objects of my dread, carried it out. One of the
ruffians then assisted me to rise, and, holding me by the collar,
dragged me out of the house after them, down to the Ferry-boat Stairs at
the quay, more dead than alive. The four seamen had placed their burden
in a boat that lay there. I was placed beside it. It lay inanimate; and
I, seated on one of the thwarts, was guarded by two seamen, who kept
watch, while the four were away for the other victim. At length they
came, deposited their burden beside the other, pushed off from the pier,
and rowed out of the harbour's mouth. As they pulled along, I felt my
spirits revive, the fear of immediate death passed from my mind; and,
besides, I was in company with living beings like myself, however cruel
they might be. Before we reached the beacon, the ruffian who had first
locked me up, and who was now in the boat with us, loosened the key from
my mouth, and undid the cord from my hands, which had begun to swell,
from the tight manner in which they were tied. This act almost relieved
me of my fears; still all was silence in the boat, not a word had as yet
been spoken by any one; but afterwards, as we gained distance from the
shore, they began to converse.

'So the Betsy sails to-morrow, without fail,' said the first ruffian.

'She does,' was the answer of the seaman.

'Why has her stay been so short this trip?' again asked the man. 'We
will make but a poor job of it. We have only nabbed five.'

'Why, I think you have done pretty well,' answered the sailor;
'twenty-five pounds for two days' work is good pay. Old Satan, you are
never content.'

'None of your slack, mate,' rejoined the other; 'I won't stand it. Two
days more would have made it fifty or better; and no man, more than I,
would be content with one half of what he might and ought to have.'

'I believe we are full, old Grumbler,' said the tar; 'others are more
active than you; but here, we are just alongside of the Betsy. Ship,
ahoy! Throw us a rope! Are you all asleep?'

In a few minutes, a rope was thrown; it was made fast by the fore
thwarts, when the ruffians and mate went on board, and remained for
some time. At length the mate returned, and, holding the end of the rope
from the vessel, ordered me to ascend, which I did with difficulty. My
two companions were then hoisted on board, being fastened to a rope, and
dragged up by the