l be fighting against your neighbours the smugglers, but
only helping us to find our midshipman and making more friends than you
know. You'll do this for us?"

"Of course," said Aleck, eagerly.

"Hand out three of those blue lights, coxswain! Next time we come,
squire, I'll bring you a rocket or two. There; thankye, and good day!"

"Good day," said Aleck; "but can you make your way out?"

"My lads will, never fear," said the lieutenant, and Aleck stood with
the blue lights in his hand, watching the boat till it passed round one
of the angles and was out of sight, when he turned round, to find that
he was not alone.

"You here, Tom?" he said to the sailor, who was standing in the shadow
of the boat haven, close up to the dark rocks.

"Me it is, sir."

"What is it--any news?"

"Me, sir? No; on'y what I got when I come across to see what was going
on about the press-gang coming here. Say, Master Aleck, I told yer so."

"Yes, Tom, you told me so," replied the lad, warmly. "There, I'm fagged
out; let's get up to the house. I want some dinner. You want some too,
don't you?"

"Oh, I dunno, sir! I had my braxfus."

"So did I, Tom, hours and hours ago. What time is it?"

"'Bout four, sir."

"Late as that? Come and have some dinner with me. It's a horrible
business about that poor midshipman."

"Ay, 'tis, sir. Smart lad as ever I see."

"Where do you think he can be?"

"Carried out by the tide, I should say, sir."

"Oh! Horrible! Then you don't think the smugglers can have taken him
prisoner?"

"Tchah! What could they do with prisoners, Master Aleck? May have
given him a crack on the head and knocked him into the water. Easy done
in a scrimmage, and nobody none the wiser."

"But mightn't he be hid in the smugglers' cave?"

"Well, he might be, sir, if there is one. If he is he's shut up tight
and they've took away them as knows how to get in."

"Yes," said Aleck, as they reached the garden and caught sight of the
gardener watching them. "I say, Tom, there must be a big cavern
somewhere."

"Very like, sir."

"You don't know where it is?"

"Not me, sir."

"Don't look that way, but tell me what you think. Isn't old Ness likely
to know?"

"Very likely, sir; but if he did know he wouldn't tell."

"Then you think he is mixed up with the smuggling gang?"

"That's so, sir."

"Then I'll make him tell me," said Aleck, between his teeth.

"Do, sir, for I should like us to find the