on board an eighteen-gun brig. The pressed men
looked very sulky and angry, and eyed the shore as if even then they
longed to jump overboard and swim for it; but the sentry, with his
musket, at the gangway was a strong hint that they would have other
dangers besides drowning to contend with should they attempt it.

True Blue, who disdained to shirk duty on any pretence, performed as
rapidly and well as he could what he was ordered to do; but at the same
time his heart was heavier, probably, than that of any one on board.
The officer who had captured him might or might not believe his
assertion that he belonged to another ship. He had not his papers with
him, and he had been caught trying to escape from the pressgang. The
Captain of the brig was on shore, and was to be taken on board at
Plymouth, where she was to call in for him.

"Where are we bound for?" asked True Blue of one of his new shipmates.

"Don't you know, lad?" answered the man with a laugh which sounded harsh
and cruel in his ears. "Why, out to the East Indies, to be sure--that's
the land, I've heard, of gold and silver and jewels. We shall all come
back with our pockets well lined with the rhino. Lots of prize-money,
lad--that's the stuff we want. No wonder our skipper is in a hurry to
be off. We shan't drop anchor even in Plymouth Sound, but he'll post
down from London; and as soon as he sees us he'll be aboard, for I know
well that he will be eager to be off. He's in as great a hurry to
finger the ingots as any of us."

This was very unpleasant information for True Blue. He had no reason,
either, to doubt it. As soon as the tide made, the brig got under
weigh, and, standing out of the river, ran down the Solent towards the
Needle Passage.

Had True Blue been on board his own ship, he would have been contented
enough, even though he had been bound for the East Indies; but to be
carried off among strangers, without an opportunity of communicating
with those he loved, was hard indeed to bear. The brig had got down as
far as Berryhead, when it fell very nearly calm, and a thick fog came
on. All night long the fog continued, and though it was not dark, all
objects beyond ten or twenty fathoms at most of the brig were rendered
invisible. Her head, therefore, was put off shore, to avoid the risk of
running on it, and sail was reduced, so as merely to allow her to have
steerage way.

The breeze, however, got up a little with the sun, which wa