eaking soothingly when he was at his
worst--every one else seemed strange; and without a word he smiled sadly
in Pete's face and took hold of his arm.

"That will do," said the officer, who had his orders to carry out. "In
with them!"

The marines laid their hands on Nic's and Pete's shoulders, while the
sergeant signed to the others to climb into the boat; Humpy Dee turning,
as he got in last, to give Pete a savage look of triumph.

Pete turned sharply to the marine who was urging him to the side.

"Tell me, mate," he whispered quickly; "just a word. Where are we going
to be took?"

The marine glanced swiftly aside to see if it was safe to answer, and
then whispered back:

"Off to the plantations, I s'pose. There, keep a good heart, lad. It
aren't for ever and a day."

The plantations--to work as a kind of white slave for some colonist
far-away.

Pete, in his ignorance, only grasped half the truth; but that half was
bad enough to make him sink down in the boat as it was lowered from the
davits, put his lips close to Nic's ear, and groan more than say:

"Oh, Master Nic, lad, what have you done?"

Then the boat kissed the water; the order was given; the oars fell with
a splash; and, as the men gave way, Pete Burge darted a wild look about
him, to find Humpy Dee just at his back, glaring malignantly, and as if
about to speak, as he leaned forward.

But no word came, for the marine sergeant clapped a hand upon his
shoulder and thrust him back.

"All right," said Humpy Dee; "my time'll come bimeby. Better than being
a pressed man, after all."

Nic had been a long while in the darkness below deck, and his eyes were
feeble; but, as the boat glided on rapidly towards the shore, they
became more accustomed to the light, and he gazed wonderingly about in
his confused state, seeing nothing of the trouble ahead, only the fact
that he was approaching the far-stretching, sun-brightened shore.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

HUMPY DEE'S LITTLE THREATS.

However much he might have been disposed to make a fresh appeal on his
companion's behalf, Pete had no opportunity; for, upon the boat being
run alongside of a roughly-made wharf, he and the others were hurried
out and marched away to a kind of warehouse, and the care of them handed
over to some people in authority, by whom they were shut-in, glad of the
change from the broiling sun outside to the cool gloom of the interior,
lit only by a grated window high up above t