"I thought it wouldn't be long before the powder caught;" and then,
before any one could reply, the lad said quietly, "I didn't want to be
burnt to death. Better go to prison for smuggling. I say, I got this
rope. Hadn't we better make it fast somewhere, and then you can all get
down to the big shelf? I'll come last, and unfasten it."
"And then how will you get down?" said the master suspiciously.
"Oh," said Ram, laughing, "I can climb down; can't I, orficer?"
"Yes," said Archy quietly. "He can get down. You will not try to
escape, will you, Ram?"
"No; not I. What's the good?" said Ram sadly. "It's all over now."
The rope was made fast, and by its help the men easily reached the great
ledge, Ram coming down soon after with the coiled-up rope about his
shoulder and under one arm.
"Couldn't have got away if I wanted to," he said, laughing frankly in
Archy's face. "I say, I am hungry! Aren't you? Don't I wish I'd got
one of mother's baskets full of good stuff!"
"Where's your mother?" asked Archy.
"Up at the farm."
"And your father?"
"Oh, he went off in the lugger this morning, after they'd tried to run a
cargo. Your cutter was too quick for them though. We tried to get out
to her, but the skipper sent a shot at us, and we came back here, only
you saw us, and run us down."
"Where do you suppose your men are now?" asked Archy.
"Don't know, and if I did, I wouldn't tell," said the boy bluntly. "I
say," he added, after a pause, "I give you a pretty good run last night,
didn't I?"
"You young dog!" growled the master.
"Well, if I hadn't, you'd have found the way in yonder, and I wasn't
going to let you if I could help it."
"Ah, you'll be hung, sir."
"Get out!" cried Ram. "Your skipper wouldn't hang a boy like me. Think
the cutter will be long?" said the boy after a pause, during which all
had been watching the flame which seemed to flow out of the opening far
overhead.
"I don't know; why?" replied Archy.
"Because she'll have to come and take us off. This rope's long enough,
and we shall have to slide down into a boat."
But the cutter was long. For the lugger had escaped to Holland
consequent upon the _White Hawk_ being so short-handed, and it was
toward evening that she came close in to search for the crews, and all
the party descended in safety to the boat, which rowed under in answer
to the signals made by firing pistols.
As to the boats that passed under the archway, they were prisoned till
the next low water.
"Satisfied?" said the lieutenant, after all were on board, and he had
heard the report. "More than satisfied. I was horribly disappointed at
losing the lugger, and I made a hard fight for it, but your news--my
dear boy--my dear Mr Gurr, this is splendid! What a despatch I can
write!"
"It will be the breaking up of the gang, will it not, sir?" asked Archy.
"Yes, my dear boy; and an end to this wretched work. They must promote
me now, and draft you, too, into a good ship. If we can be together,
Mr Raystoke, I shall be delighted."
That same night, as he was thinking about Ram Shackle, Archy went up to
the lieutenant, who was walking up and down rubbing his hands.
"Beg pardon, sir, but may I ask a favour?"
"A dozen if you like, Raystoke, and I'll grant them if I can. Want a
run ashore?"
"No, sir. I want you to be easy with that boy. He was very kind to me
when I was a prisoner."
"Hum! Hah! Well, I don't know what to say to that. Here, my man,
fetch that boy on deck."
Ram came up, whistling softly, and looking sharply from one to the
other.
"Now, sir, take off your cap," said the lieutenant sternly.
Ram did not look a bit afraid, but he doffed his red cap.
"I suppose you know, sir, that you'll be sent to gaol?"
"Yes.--I knew you wouldn't hang me."
"And pray what have you to say for yourself?"
"Nothing that I knows on," said Ram. "Yes, I have. I say father's
gone, and I dessay he won't come back for ever so long, and I don't want
to go among the Dutchmen. May I stop here 'long of him? There won't be
no more smuggling to do."
"You mean you want to volunteer for His Majesty's service?"
"Yes, that's it," said Ram cheerfully. "May I?"
"Yes," said Lieutenant Brough shortly. "There; you can go below."
Ram waved his red cap, tossed it in the air, and turned to Archy.
"I say, orficer," he said, "I know where your little sword is. You send
one of your chaps to-morrow to mother, and tell her I'm aboard and going
to be a sailor, and she's to give him your little sword as father put in
the top drawer."
Archy's eyes sparkled, for the loss of his dirk was a bitter memory.
"Humph!" said the lieutenant, as Ram went below; "not a bad sort of boy.
Well, Mr Raystoke, will that do?"
Archy shook the hand held out, and went aft to gaze at the cliff,
feeling that somehow he liked Ram Shackle.
Then he turned, rather despondent, for he knew that the next day there
would be an expedition ashore, when visits would be paid to the farm and
to the Hoze, and he felt uncomfortable about the Graemes.