"That's bad," said Gurr, giving vent to a low whistle. "Here, lads, let's carry him to the boat."

"No, no!" cried the midshipman. "I think I can walk. I could hardly breathe."

"Well, go steady, then. It's on'y 'bout half a mile to the cove. Where did they mean to take you, lad?"

"I don't know. Perhaps on board some ship to get me out of the way;"

and he briefly explained his late position, as they walked steadily on, the men listening eagerly the while.

"Then you can take me right to the place, Mr Raystoke?" said Gurr.

Archy hesitated.

"I can point it out from the sea, but it will be all guess-work from the sh.o.r.e."

"Never mind; we'll find it. But you can't think about where they were taking you to-night?"

"I have no idea. Of course they blindfolded me, so that I should not see the way out of the place I left, nor the way into the other."

"Ah, well, come on, and the skipper will talk to you. He has been fine and mad about it, and I 'most think he's turned a bit thinner, eh, d.i.c.k?"

"Ay, that he have," said the latter. "Leastwise you might think so."

"One day he's been all in a fret, saying you've run away, and that you'd be dismissed the service, and it was what he quite expected; and then, so as not to put him out, when you agreed with him, he flew out at you, and called you a fool, and said he was sure the smugglers had murdered his officer, or else tumbled him off the cliff."

Archy was too weary with excitement to care to talk much, and he tramped on with the men, hardly able to realise the truth of his escape, and half expecting to wake up in the darkness and find it all a dream. But he was reminded that it was no dream, from time to time, by feeling a hand laid deprecatingly upon his bruised arm, and starting round to see in the darkness that it was Dirty d.i.c.k, who patted his injury gently, and then uttered a satisfied "Hah!"

"Pleased to see me back," thought the midshipman, "but I wish he wouldn't pat me as if I were a dog."

"Hullo!" exclaimed the master just then, as they came opposite a depression in the cliff which gave them a view out to sea. "What's going on? Forrard, my lads. Smart!"

The pace was increased, for away in the darkness there hung out a bright signal which all knew meant recall, and the midshipman's heart throbbed as he felt that before long he would be in a boat dancing over the waves, and soon after treading the deck of the smart little cutter.

"No," he said to himself, as after a hail a boat came out of the darkness, its keel grating on the pebbly sh.o.r.e, and he uttered a sigh of content on sinking back in the stern-sheets; "it isn't a dream."

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

Archy Raystoke's sense of weariness rapidly pa.s.sed off, as the oars splashed, and the boat glided softly out of the waters of the cove, between the two huge corners of rock which guarded the entrance, and then began to dance up and down as she reached out into the tideway.

After the darkness of the old quarry, with its faint odour of spirits, the night seemed comparatively like noonday, and the pure, brisk air that fanned his cheek delicious. He seemed to drink it in, drawing down great draughts which made his bosom swell, his heart beat, and there were moments when, like a schoolboy upon whom has suddenly come the joys of an unexpected half-holiday, he felt ready to jump up, toss his cap in the air, and shout for joy.

"But it would be undignified in an officer," he felt; and he sat still, feeling the boat live almost in the water as she throbbed from end to end with the powerful strokes, and glide up the waves, hang for a moment, and slide down.

"Tidy swell on, Mr Raystoke," said Gurr.

"Oh, it's glorious!" replied the lad in a low voice.

"Glorious?"

"Yes. You don't know what it means to have been shut up in a place like a cellar, always black, and longing to see the blue sky and sunshine."

"Well, there aren't none now, my lad."

"No, Gurr, there is no blue sky and sunshine, but--but--this is delightful;" and he said to himself, with his breast swelling, "I feel stupid, and as if I could cry like a child."

They were nearing the cutter fast, her lights growing plainer, and the lad leaned forward with feelings that were almost ecstatic as he tried to scan her lines, and thought of leaping on her deck, and feeling the easy, yielding motion as she rose and fell to her cable where she lay at anchor. He even thought of how glorious it would be for there to come a storm, with the spray beating on his cheeks and then, as he involuntarily raised his hand to his face, a thought occurred to him which made him start.

"Oh!" he mentally e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, as he thought of his long sojourn in the cave, and a feeling of satisfaction came over him that it was dark; "what a horribly dirty wretch I must look!"

A hail came from the cutter at last, and was answered from the boat, Archy's heart beating fast as he dimly saw the figures on board, and thought of the joy of being once more in his own cabin.

"Gurr," he whispered, "don't say a word to Mr Brough; let me tell him I have come on board."

"Right, my lad; but you'll say we found you, and all that. You see, I must make my report."

"Of course."

Just then the oars were thrown up and laid alongside, and, as the lieutenant came to the gangway, Archy sprang on to the cutter so sharply that he came rather roughly in contact with his commanding officer.

"How dare you! Why, you clumsy young--" Before he could say more, the midshipman touched his red cap.

"Come aboard, sir," he said.

"Why? What? Mr Ray--Oh, my dear boy!"

There was not a bit of official dignity in the greeting, for the plump little lieutenant, in his surprise and delight, caught Archy by the arms, then by the shoulders; stared in his face; seized his hands, shook them both, and was about to hug him, but, suddenly recollecting himself, he drew back.

"In with that boat," he cried sharply. Then, giving the orders to slip the cable, and prepare to make sail, he turned to Gurr.

"I'll take your report directly, Mr Gurr," he said. Then, very stiffly, "Take charge of the deck. Mr Raystoke, follow me, sir, to my cabin."

"Going to wig me," said the midshipman, as he followed his officer down into the cabin and shut the door.

"Now, sir," cried the lieutenant, turning upon him sharply, "have the goodness to explain your conduct. Stop--not a word yet. I entrusted you with an important commission. I dealt with you as if you were a man, an officer and a gentleman; and, instead of doing your duty, you went off like a contemptible cabin-boy on a sh.o.r.e-going game, sir-- dissipation, sir--behaved like a blackguard till all your money was spent; and then you come sneaking back on board, insult me by blundering up against me, and all you've got to say for yourself is, 'Come aboard, sir.' Now, then, what else have you to say?"

"Well, sir!--"

"Stop. Let me tell you that, knowing as I did what a young scamp you were, I refrained from reporting your conduct at Portsmouth, to get you dismissed His Majesty's service; and knowing, too, that it would break your father's and mother's heart, I did not write and tell them. For I said to myself, 'He'll come back and ask forgiveness to-morrow, and I'll punish him and forgive him,' for I did not want to blast your career.

But to-morrow has always been coming, and you haven't come till to-night. And now, what have you to say before--before I treat you-- yes, I've a good mind to--like some mutinous scoundrel, and--What's that, sir, what's that? How dare you sit down in my presence, when--"

"I'm so done up, sir, and hungry and faint."

"And serve you right, you insolent young dog. I knew it, and--"

"Oh, I say, Mr Brough, you don't think I could have been such a beast."

"What?"

"I found out all about the smugglers, but they caught me, and I've been a prisoner ever since. Do give me something to eat and drink, and don't scold me any more, till I've got on my uniform and had a good wash."