Part 47 (2/2)
”Mind how you come; the stones here are slippery with the wet seaweed”
”I can e,” said Aleck, and he carefully stepped across and stood on the other side ”Nohere is he?”
”Yonder, half way up that side! There's a snug hole there, plenty big enough for him I've slept there lots of times e've been busy”
Aleck did not enquire what the business was, but he surht fro hi back towards the sube sensation of relief even at this, for thoughts would keep crowding into his brain about ould be the consequence if a greater tide than usual flooded the place, a thought so horrible that the perspiration stood out upon his forehead, though itover the rugged floor and the heat of the place
”Isn't he very quiet?” whispered Aleck
”Yes, but he's watching us,” said the man, in a hoarse whisper, while Aleck looked in vain for a likely place to be the young officer's prison, ”over yonder” being a very vague indication
Just then the san to step up a steep slope of moderate-sized rocks piled one upon the other, to stop short about ten feet above where his co
He held the lanthorn do for the lad to see, and as Aleck stood beside hih as he could, so that the di officer, who lay upon a thick cushi+on composed of many folds of sail-cloth, the bolt ropes and reef points in which showed plainly that it had been in use possibly in connection with some unfortunate vessel wrecked upon the rocks of the iron-bound coast
The face was fah to Aleck as the her upon the elbohich supported him, and his new visitor saw that the fierce eyes were not directed at hiler who bore the lanthorn
”Then you've come at last?” he said, fiercely ”Now, then, no ; unlock this iron and take me out into the fresh air, or as sure as you stand there, you great, black-s about you to the captain that he'll hang you to the yard-arler ”Not got tame yet?”
”Tame, you miserable ruffian! How dare you speak to an officer in His Majesty's Navy like that? There never was such an outrage before
Unfasten these irons, I say, and take ly, ”your te!” cried the midshi+pman, furiously ”How dare you treat , knocking honestthe them in irons because they wouldn't take to the sea How do you like it, ue with you, you ruffian, about that,” cried the ht me the wretched food said she dare not and could not unlock that iron I've got round my ankle, but that when her husband came I was to ask him Now, then, you're the husband, aren't you?”
”Oh, yes, I'ler
”Then I order you in the King's name to take these irons off”
”You wait a bit, captain,” said the sood tiht you soht I saw soler held the lanthorn lower and opened the door, so that the candle light shone full on Aleck's face
”You?” cried the ht you were one of the s,” said Aleck, shortly
”What do you want here?” cried the prisoner, wildly, for the fit of rage and co down into misery and despair
”I've come to help you, middy,” cried Aleck, warht the poor fellow's hand