Part 36 (1/2)

”Ah, he would,” said Tom, drily ”Done it in two days, maybe, and first time she was out in bad weather the sea would undo all his work in quarter the ti, and it's all the sa--it ht to be flogged Our old chips aboard the Hajax, as I worked with as , and he'd say what he'd do to hiht me, Master Aleck, and I feel like hi a fortnight's good work than have it for doing a week's; and I' to drive in as ood for the boat, and you're going to hold en their heads while I clinch 'em Then I shall feel as the boat's as safe as hands can , I'd drop the so inland for a bit That there sloop'll coht when she arn't expected; you see if she don't! They was fine young ht, and I say he'll try for another haul”

”And I say,” cried Aleck, ”that if he does send his lers will be too foxy to let themselves be surrounded as the ht”

”Well, Master Aleck, soand clinching the soft copper nails as if he loved his work, and as soon as the sun went down started off to trudge across theas cheerful at the end as he did at the beginning of the long day

Aleck had worked pretty hard, too, in the hot sun, and he was so drowsy that night that he was glad enough to see his uncle, wearied out with the writing, which seein to nod and doze, and suddenly rise up and say:

”Let's go to bed!”

Aleck hardly kne he got undressed, but he did afterwards recall going to the fully-openand looking out at the dull night, as he drank in the soft cool air, which seemed so welcome after a still, sultry day

Then he was asleep, dreaht, when his brain became active and he fancied that he was back in the darkness by the unlaunched boat at Rockabie, groildly excited as he listened to the shouting and scuffling up one of the narrow lanes, followed by firing and what seemed to be either an order or a cry for help

The nextto as undoubtedly a shout, and it was followed by another, both far away, but sounding clear on the night air, while froether

”They're landing a cargo,” thought Aleck, and with histo and fro to fetch kegs, chests and bales, he hurried on his clothes, dropped froarden to the cliff path, and began to cli-place would no doubt be away to the west and below Eilygugg, where the s-boats lay, and as soon as he was up out of the depression on to the level down, Aleck went off at a trot to get right at the edge of the cliff, where, unseen, he calculated upon getting a good vieas going on by the light of, as he expected, e a thrill ran through hi with one voice, and turning to that of several

”Oh, it's a wreck!” cried the lad, wildly, and he hurried on, hoping to reach the way down to the boats and be of some use before it was too late

But as he ran on with throbbing heart and his breath growing short it gradually dawned upon hi and storruff burr of men's voices in the distance, followed by a shout or thich sounded like the orders he had heard in his dreaer's right; the press-gang has landed again, but, instead of going to Rockabie, they've coer, for at last when he e of the cliff it was to look down on the lanthorns carried by three boats, which were close up to the shi+ngly patch of beach fro craft put off

As far as he could make out in the darkness, badly illu on in the shalloater lying between the shi+ngle and the boats

For the first few ang was being beaten off by the slers Then he was puzzled, for he could hear hoarse shouts and laughter, led with shrieks and what seemed to be loud abuse in wo in the water as of struggles going on again and again

After the last of these encounters the lights began to iven loudly froular _dip-dip_ of oars ca sound and a wild passionate chorus of cries fro of angry indignation attacking hi off so to try and rescue thes, how horrible, but how brave!”

He had confirmation of his surmises directly after, for there now rose up to his ears a burst of sobbing cries in a woer talk fro to co wo which in the deep silence there was the regular dip of oars, and the lanthorns gently rose and fell upon the smooth rollers of the tide Then there was a cry which went straight to Aleck's heart, so piteous and wailing were its tones:

”Oh, Eben! Eben! Come back, dear; come back!”

It reached him for whom it was intended, and was answered directly from one of the boats in words which reached Aleck more clearly perhaps then the listeners below hiht, lass Cheer up!”

The order had its effect, for a cheer given heartily in wohts were active