Part 49 (1/2)
”Then he could not lead a party here, Eben,” said Aleck; ”and you could get him out of here so that he would never knoas taken out”
”Ah!” said the middy, sharply ”Then you two didn't come in a boat?”
”Never you ler, ”we're here; and as the game's up, Master Aleck, and all I want to do is to keep out of the clutches of the press-gang and the law, I'll do as I said, go up by and by and try to get the key, and if I can't get the key I'll bring down a file”
”That will do, Eben--I'll trust you; and as you're going to do your best now I don't think Mr--Mr--”
”Wrighton,” said the hton ant to be hard on awill it be before it's safe to go up?”
”I daren't go till it's ht, my lad I've been run too close before, and as it is I' for me about my home; but anyhow I'll try”
”And I must wait till then?” said the middy, with a break in his voice
”Yes,” said Aleck; ”but I shall keep my word--I'll stick by you till you're free”
”Ah!” ejaculated the lad, and his voice sounded more natural, as he added, in a low tone to Aleck: ”Don't think me a coward, please You don't knohat it is to be shut up in a place like this”
”No,” said Aleck; ”but if I were I should feel and act just as you have, and I hope be quite as brave”
A pressure of the hand conveyed the midshi+pman's thanks, and directly after the two lads awoke to the fact that the s else but the providing of so the lanthorn to look around, he caood-sized bottle, both of which he examined
”Why, skipper,” he said, ”you haven't eat your dinner!”
”How could I eat at a tirily
”Well, I s'pose it didn't give you ler, grimly ”I took nowt but water when I was aboard your shi+p; but you ought to eat and drink now you ye got to the end of your troubles, thanks to Master Aleck here Why, you've got two lots
What's in the bottles?”
The speaker screwed out the corks of two bottles, one after the other, and ser?” he said, with a grin ”Plenty o'
Right Nantes yonder,” he added, with a jerk of his thuht shoulder
”No, no, I don't want anything,” said the midshi+pman, impatiently
”Well, sir, I do,” said Eben ”I'm down faint, and if you don't ht of it,” replied Aleck; ”but now you talk about eating and drinking you hton; it will help to pass away the time”