a ship as zet zail at once; and
next night we was pitched down into the boats again and hoisted aboard
this ship, as was lying off Plymouth waiting to start."

"Waiting to sail?"

"That's right, master! And I s'pose she went off at once, but I was too
bad to know anything about it. When I could begin to understand I was
lying here in this hammock, and the doctor telled me."

"One moment. Where are the others?"

"All aboard, sir--that is, twenty-two with uz."

"Some of our men too?"

"Nay, zir; on'y our gang."

"But I don't understand, quite," said Nic pitifully. "I want to know
why they have brought me. Tell me, Pete Burge--my head is getting
confused again--tell me why I am here."

"Mistake, I s'pose, sir. Thought, zeeing you all rough-looking and
covered with blood, as you was one of us."

Nic lay with his head turned in the speaker's direction, battling with
the horrible despairing thoughts which came like a flood over his
disordered brain; but they were too much for him. He tried to speak;
but the dark waters of the pool were there again, and the next minute he
felt as if he had been drawn by the current beneath the fall, and all
was mental darkness and the old confusion once more.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

WILLIAM SOLLY HAS THOUGHTS.

It would have been better, perhaps, for Nic Revel if he had not heard
the result of the plan to get help from Captain Lawrence's ship and its
disastrous results for him.

For Pete Burge's narrative was correct enough, save that he made an
omission or two, notably the fact that he was captured while making a
brave effort to save Nic from the savage blows being dealt out to him by
Humpy Dee, who was trying to visit upon his head the disappointment he
felt through the failure of the raid.

It was from finding Nic, helplessly insensible, being carried off by
Pete that in the dark the sailors took the young man for one of the
party they were to attack; and hence it was that he was tied fast to his
injured companion, carried down the hill-slope to the river, bundled
into the boat with the other prisoners, and carried off, there being no
further communication held with the shore. Captain Lawrence knew
nothing till long afterwards about Nic being missing, and the long, long
search made for him in the pool; two of the men, when questioned later
on during the inquiry, having seen him go down in the fierce struggle.
But no one, during the confusion which ensued, had seen