ce voice cried aloud in tones which made Jack Jeens
spring to his feet under the belief that he was at home aboard the
schooner and in his bunk.

"Ahoy there! Tumble up! Tumble up! In the King's name!"

CHAPTER TWO.

Jack Jeens and his young companion started up, sitting upon the floor,
and both confused and wondering.

"Hillo!" ejaculated Jack.

"What's that?" said the boy, who could not tell where he was, while at
that moment the window was pushed up a little and the voice of a man
said softly:

"There's a ladder here. Quick, run for it! The pressgang!"

"Eh, what? Where?" growled the sailor, excitedly. "Bring a light?
Where's the light?"

He knew the next moment, for the door was burst open with a crash and a
party of men headed by an officer in uniform rushed into the room,
filling it with light, for three of them bore ship's lanthorns, and Jack
found that the warning had come too late, for he was seized by three men
before he could even think of resisting, and held tightly with his back
to the wall. "Only one, my lads?" cried the officer.

"Not sure yet, sir," replied one of the men, who ducked down to bring
the light of the lanthorn he carried beneath the bed, while another of
the party examined the cupboard, and a companion peeped up the chimney.

"No, sir; only one, sir," said a man who seemed to be a warrant officer;
"but here's a nipper on the bed."

"I thought there had been more," said the leader. "Now, then, my lad,"
he continued, to the sailor, "it's of no use to kick against it. How
many mates had you with you?"

"Ne'er a one," growled Jack, surlily. "What do you want with me?"

"Oh, you'll see soon enough. Come along. Mind you don't lose him, my
lads."

"Never fear, sir," came in chorus, while the boy upon seeing that his
new friend was in trouble slipped off the bed, ran to Jack's side, and
grasped his hand tightly.

"You can't press me," cried Jack, now growing angry, and, as if obeying
an instinct which made him feel it to be his duty to protect the boy,
drawing him close to his side.

"Can't we, my lad?" said the officer, laughing. "Why, we have pressed
you."

"But I belong to a schooner in the bay," cried Jack.

"You belong to the King now, my lad."

Jack Jeens glanced wildly at the speaker and then at the open window,
where a face was seen dimly for a moment or two by the light shed by the
lanthorns; and the next moment he would have flung off the men who