"That's the way I do with the rabbuds, shipmet," said the man laughing.
"You dog! you scoundrel!" panted Hilary, continuing his ineffectual
struggle.
"Better be still, boy," said the man coolly. "You'll only hurt
yourself."
As he spoke he wrested the cutlass from the young man's hand, after
which he coolly took out a tobacco-bag and helped himself to a quid.
Hilary felt his helplessness, and after another furious effort, during
which he partly raised his captor from his position of 'vantage, he lay
still and looked in the man's face.
"Look here!" he said; "what'll you take to let me go?"
The man looked at him in an amused fashion, and then laughed.
"Do you hear?" cried Hilary. "Come, get off me; you hurt my chest."
"Yes. I hear," said the man coolly.
"Then why don't you answer? Quick, before the others come! What will
you take to let me go?"
"What'll you take, youngster, to join us?"
"What do you take me for?" cried Hilary. "How dare you ask me such a
question?"
"Just by the same law that you ask me," said the man coolly. "Do you
think everybody is to be bought and sold?"
"But look here," cried Hilary. "I have been shut up there, and I want
to get away; I must get away."
"To bring the crew of the cutter to rout us up yonder, eh!" said the
man, laughing. "Now, come, I suppose you would call yourself a young
gentleman; so speak the truth. If I let you go, will you lead the
cutter off on a false scent, or will you show the captain the way to our
place?"
Hilary remained silent.
"Why don't you speak, youngster? Which would you do?"
"My duty," said Hilary sturdily.
"And that is, of course, to point us out," said the man, smiling. "Well
youngster, I don't like you a bit the worse for speaking out like a man.
I've got my duty to do as well, and here goes."
He blew a shrill chirruping whistle twice over, and it was answered from
a distance; while before many minutes had elapsed there was the sound of
breaking twigs, voices talking hurriedly, and directly after, looking
black and angry, Allstone came up with half-a-dozen men.
Allstone's countenance changed into a look of malignant pleasure as soon
as he saw Hilary lying amidst the bushes.
"You've got him, then?" he cried.
"Oh, yes," said Hilary's captor coolly. "It only wanted time."
"I thought we should get him again!" shouted Allstone, grinning in the
captive's face. "Here's that cutlass, too. He's a liar, this fellow.
He said he had thrown it out of the window."
"So I did, idiot!" cried Hilary indignantly. "But I tied a string to it
to pull it back when I wanted it."
The men burst out into a hearty laugh at the idea, as much as at someone
calling Allstone, who had bullied them a good deal, an idiot.
The man glanced at him savagely, and Hilary read in his eye so much
promise of a hard time that he determined to make one more effort for
his liberty, and this he did.
"Who's got a bit o' cord?" said Allstone. "Oh, here, I have. Now then,
up with him, and hold his hands behind his back."
Hilary's captor rose, and a couple of men caught him by the arms, jerked
him up and held him, dragging back his arms, which Allstone came forward
to bind; but seeing the young man helpless before him, he could not
resist the temptation offered to him.
"I'm an idiot, am I?" he shouted. "How do you like that for an idiot's
touch?"
He struck Hilary a brutal back-handed blow across the face as he spoke,
and then went backwards into the gully with a crash. For, his hands
being secured, the young officer felt no compunction, under the
circumstances, in making use of his foot, and with it he gave the bully
so tremendous a kick in the chest that he went down breathless; and,
wrenching his arms free, Hilary made a dash for liberty, but his former
captor seized him as he passed.
"No, my lad, it won't do," he exclaimed. "It was too much trouble to
catch you, so we'll keep you now."
Allstone struggled up, but Hilary's captor interfered as he was about to
strike at him with his doubled fist.
"No, no, Master Allstone," he said sharply, "I'm sure the skipper and
Sir Henry wouldn't let you do that."
"You stand aside," roared Allstone. "Who told you to interfere?"
"No one," said the man coolly; "but I shall interfere, and if you touch
that lad again it'll be through me."
"Do you hear this, lads?" cried Allstone. "He's breaking his oaths.
Come on my side and we'll deal with him too."
"This young fellow was about right when he called you an idiot, Jemmy
Allstone," said the man quietly.
"He's going to help him get away," cried Allstone, who was mad with
passion.
"Yes, that's it, boys," said the man laughing, "that's why I caught him
and kept him till you came up, and that's why I'm going to tie his arms.
Here, give me the rope."
He snatched the cord from Allstone's hands, and turned to Hilary.
"Hold up your arms, my lad, and I won't hurt you. Come, it's of no use
to try and run; we're too many for you. Never fight your ship when you
know you are beaten; it's only waste of strength. Come, hold up."
Hilary felt that he had done all that was possible, and, won by his
captor's frank, manly way, he held up his wrists, to have them so
tightly and ingeniously tied that he was a prisoner indeed.
As they went back by a short cut through the wood, and one which brought
them into a narrow lane, Allstone once found an opportunity to
maliciously kick his prisoner, as if by accident; but Hilary's friend
saw the act, and took care that he did not again approach too near; and,
after what seemed a weary walk, the little party crossed the moat of the
handsome old place. Hilary was led into the great kitchen, and then
up-stairs, past flight after flight, to a room at the top with a
strongly-bound door. Into this place he was thrust, and Allstone was
about to leave him as he was; but the friendly smuggler stepped forward,
and began to unfasten the bonds.
"Never mind that," cried Allstone; "let him stay bound."
The man paid no heed whatever, but undid the cord, set Hilary free, and
then retired, the door being banged to, locked loudly, and secured by a
heavy bar thrust clanging across.
The young officer stood staring at the door for a few minutes, and then
stamped his foot upon the floor.
"Was ever fellow so unlucky!" he exclaimed. "Lipscombe might have found
me out by this time; and when I do get out, I'm caught and brought back.
But never mind; if they think I'm beaten they are wrong, for I'll get
out, if only to show Sir Henry what a mean-spirited fellow he is."
He looked round his room, which was a bare old attic, with dormer
windows and casements, from which, on flinging one open, he saw that he
was far too high from the ground for a descent without a rope; but a
second glance showed him that it would be possible to climb upon the
roof, and when there he might perhaps manage to get somewhere else.
Just then he heard a window opened on the floor below, and, looking
down, he saw Adela, evidently gazing towards the moat.
For a few moments he felt too indignant to speak, for he thought Sir
Henry was behaving very ill to him; but a little reflection told him
that his old companion was not to blame, and what she might even then be
feeling very grateful to him for what he had done.
"Well, I'll give her a chance to show it," he thought; and, leaning out
a little more he said lightly, "Well, Addy, are you any the worse for
your dip?"
"Oh, Hil!" she exclaimed looking up, "are you there?"
"Yes, and locked up safely. I say, your people are behaving very badly
to me."
"Oh, Hil," cried the girl with the tears in her eyes, "I am so sorry.
I've been begging papa not to have you caught, and he says he could not
help it."
"Then he ought to help it," replied Hilary warmly.
"But he says he's bound to keep faith with his friends; and that if you
would only give your word not to escape and betray our hiding-place you
might come and live with us; and oh, Hil dear, it would be like old
times, and we could have such walks together. Do be a good boy, and
promise what papa wishes! I should like you to come and be with us
again, for I have no companion now."
Hilary looked down at the bright little face, and as the thoughts of how
pleasantly the time would pass in her company came upon him, as compared
with the miseries he had to endure, he felt sorely tempted to give his
parole; he might do that, he argued.
"Do come, Hil," she said again, as if she were reading his hesitation.
"Papa will be so pleased."
"And try his best to make me turn traitor," thought Hilary.
"No," he exclaimed, "I cannot do it, Addy; and I'm sure you would not
wish me to break faith with those to whom I owe duty. I should like to
come, but--ah, Sir Henry, you there?"
He started, for a hand was laid upon his shoulder, and turning, there
stood Sir Henry, holding out his hand.
"I have come to thank you, my brave, true lad, for what you have done,"
he exclaimed warmly. "You saved my darling's life and then mine."
"And for which you had me hunted down," said Hilary bitterly.
"It was no act of mine, my boy," said Sir Henry sadly. "Why will you
ignore the fact that I am not master of your position? Hilary, my dear
boy, once more, will you join us?"
"No, Sir Henry; and even if I did you would only despise me."
"No, no. Nothing of the kind."
"Then I should despise myself," cried Hilary. "Once more, Sir Henry, I
am a king's officer, and refuse your proposals."
"Then give me your parole not to escape."
"I give you my word of honour that I will escape as soon as I possibly
can," said Hilary smiling. "So take my advice, and take Adela away.
Save yourself, too, for if I find you here I shall be obliged to arrest
you."
"Why, you foolish fellow," said Sir Henry smiling, "you are a prisoner,
and you have found out that you cannot get away."
"Not so, Sir Henry. I found that I could not get away this first time;
but you don't know me if you think I am going to sit down quietly here
without an effort to escape."
"But it is impossible here, my good lad," said Sir Henry.
"So your people thought when you locked me up in that old chapel. I
tell you, Sir Henry, I mean to get back to my ship."
"Then, for the safety of my child, and for my own safety, Hilary, you
force me to show myself the stern officer of his majesty our rightful
king, and I must see that you are kept fast. However, I will try to
temper justice with some show of kindness, and I have had dry clothes
brought up for your use till the others are right."
"Oh, they are pretty well right now," said Hilary carelessly.
"Then is it to be war, Hilary?" said Sir Henry with a sad smile.
"Yes, Sir Henry, war."
"We shall keep you very close and very fast, my boy."
"No, Sir Henry, you will not," cried Hilary cheerily, "for before many
hours are over I mean to be free."
"It is a game of chess, then," said Sir Henry laughing.
"Yes, Sir Henry, and you have moved out your pawns and played your
queen;" and he pointed below.
"I have," said Sir Henry smiling. "Now what do you mean to do?"
"Well, Sir Henry, seeing how I am shut up, suppose we say that I am
castled."
"Very good," laughed Sir Henry going to the door and passing out.
"Very good or very bad," muttered Hilary, "I mean to be out before many
days are passed; and when once I am free the smugglers may look out for
squalls."