Part 68 (1/1)

”Glad to see you, Master Aleck,” said thewith him to see the old place

I' stay, sir, as soon as we're paid off, and-- and--there, I arn't good at talking--about thes,” continued the man, huskily, ”but God bless you and the captain, sir, for all you've done for my poor wife and bairns”

”Oh, nonsense! Don't talk about it, Eben,” said Aleck, huskily; ”but, I say, youngback after you'd shut us in What did you do it for--to kill us?”

”To kill you both, sir? Not me! I on'y wanted to make sure of you for an hour or two till I'd been hoether to take aith me When I come back the cutter's lads dropped upon ht till a crack on the head knocked all the say out of me for about a fortnit When I could speak they told me you'd both been found”

”Ahoy!” cried the s I'd nearly forgotten him Does he live here?”

”Oh, yes, he's our gardener and odd ardener heholes with his wooden legs to drop in the potatoes or cabbage plants, before standing on one leg and covering in the earth with the other Hallo, Tom, what is it?”

”Sarvant, sir,” said To his forelock,officer ”Been showing Eben Megg how the cave was busted up, sir, in the stor out the boat 'so for a sail”

”To be sure,” cried Aleck, eagerly ”Here, we'll go for a run to Rockabie and back, Eben; colers could run a boat close in aht”

”Ay, ay, sir Coully and fetch her, sir? We could run in up the channel below here, and pick you up? Bodger says the channel's quite clear”

”Do you think you could find your way in, Eben?” said Aleck, with a merry look

”Find my way in, sir? Ay, sir, if it was black as ink, or with my eyes shut”

THE END