Part 53 (2/2)

”Oh dearwoman, as the door closed on her husband's back ”If he would only keep to his cows and sheep!”

”Here,” said the far the door, ”be off to bed Raone out”

”No, dear But do take care of yourself”

”Yah!”

Bang went the door, and Mrs Shackle, after putting a few things straight, went off obediently to bed, troubling in no wise about the door being left on the latch

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

Archy Raystoke was fast asleep, drea oncefull in his eyes, because he was lying on the deck, right in everybody's road, and Gurr thehim for it in a hich was very disrespectful to an officer and a gentlerinned

He was not surprised, for soh was not there, and Gurr had assu the part of sain: ”Get up!”

Archy leaped to his feet, and saw at a glance that it was not the sun, but the light of a lanthorn shi+ning in his eyes, while, before he could doclose to him, half of a sack was dran over his head and shoulders, and a thin rope isted round and round his ar his hands free

”What are you going to do?” he shouted, after a vain struggle to free hih the heavy sack

”Pitch you off the cliff if you ruff voice by his car ”Keep quiet, and you won't be hurt”

The lad's heart beat heavily, and he felt hot and half suffocated

”Do you want to smother me?” he said ”Can't breathe”

”Slit the back of the sack, lad,” said the sa noise heard, as a breathing-hole was cut right up behind his head

”Now, then, bring hirasped, and, as he felt hiround that was quite familiar now, he knew that he was on the way to the entrance

Were they going to take hi to do that, they would not have blindfolded his eyes

Yes, they would, for, if they were going to set him free, they would do so in a way that would place it beyond his power to betray their secret store

Quick i, and he knew directly after that it was only fancy Of course He could show the lieutenant where the opening was in the cliff, and by knowing that it would be easy to track out the land entrance

”No,” said theto take me and imprisoncoirl”

”Now then, steady!” said a voice, as he felt that the cool air was coh the thick sacking ”Make a rope fast round hiht Archy, as he felt a rope passed round hihtened, he was raised from his feet, and the rope cut into him painfully as he felt himself hauled up Then hands seized hirass, while the last rope was cast off