"Me, your honour," said Tom Tully. "I can show you the way."

"Come to my side, then," said the lieutenant, leaping ash.o.r.e. Tom Tully ranged up alongside, and together they hurried over the sand and shingle.

There was no doubt about their being upon the right track, for they stumbled first against a keg, directly after upon a package, then upon another and another, just as the smugglers had thrown them down to race back and defend the lugger; and with these for their guides they made right for the rocks, where, after a little hesitation, Tom Tully led the party through a narrow opening.

"I should know the place, sir," he said, "for I got a hawful polt o' the side of the head somewheres about here; and--ah! this here's right, for there's another little keg o' spirits."

He had kicked against the little vessel, and, to endorse his opinion, he had come upon a small package, which, with the keg, was placed upon a block of rock ready for their return.

But in spite of his recollection of the blows he had received in the struggle amongst the rocks Tom Tully's guidance was not very good. It was horribly dark, and, but for the scuffling noise they kept hearing in front and beyond the chaos of rocks amongst which they were, the lieutenant would have ordered his men back, and tried some other way, or else, in spite of the risks, have waited while some of his men went back for lights.

There was, however, always the noise in front, and partly by climbing and dragging one another up over the rocks they managed to get nearer and nearer without once hitting upon the narrow and comparatively easy but maze-like track that was the regular way, and which was so familiar to the smuggling party that they ran along it and surmounted the various barriers with the greatest ease.

"Come, come, Tully, are you asleep?" cried the lieutenant impatiently; "push on."

"That's just what I am a doing of, your honour," said the great fellow; "but they seem to have been a moving the rocks, and altering the place since we was here last, and its so plaguy dark, too, I don't seem to hit it at all."

"Give way, there, and let another man come to the front," said the lieutenant.

Tom Tully did give way, and another and another tried, but made worse of it, for the big fellow did blunder on somehow, no matter what obstacles presented themselves; and at last, quite in despair, just as the sounds in front were dying right away, almost the last man being up the cliff, the great sailor clambered over a huge block of rock and uttered a shout of joy.

"Here's the place, your honour, here's the place!" he shouted, and the lieutenant and the men scrambled to his side.

"Well," cried the lieutenant, "what have you found? Where are we?"

"We're here, your honour," cried Tom Tully eagerly. "We're all right.

Oh lor', look out! what's that 'ere?"

For just at that moment there was the whizz made by a running out rope, a rushing sound, a heavy body came plump on Tom Tully's shoulders, and he was dashed to the ground.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

ON BOARD ONCE MORE.

There was an attempt at flight on the part of the _Kestrels_, but there was no room to fly, though the general impression was that the smugglers were about to hurl down pieces of rock upon them from above, but their dread was chased away by a well-known voice exclaiming:

"All right, my lads: I'm not killed."

"But you've 'most killed me," growled Tom Tully.

"Never mind, Tom. You shall have some grog when we get back aboard.

Who's in command?"

"I am, sir," exclaimed the lieutenant from somewhere at the back; "and I beg to know what is the meaning of this indecorous proceeding."

"Well, sir," said Hilary, "I was in a hurry to rejoin the ship's company, and I was coming down a rope when some one above cast it off."

"Three cheers for Muster Leigh!" cried a voice.

"Silence!" roared the lieutenant. "Now, Mr Leigh, if you are not joined to the band of rascals show us the way to them."

"There's no way here, sir, unless we bring a long spar and rig up some tackle. The rock's forty feet high, and as straight as a wall. Will you let me speak to you, sir?"

The lieutenant grunted, and Hilary limped to his side.

"Now, Mr Leigh," he said, "I will hear what you have to say; but have the goodness to consider yourself under arrest."

"All right, sir," replied Hilary; "I'm used to that sort of thing now."

"Where have you been, sir?"

"Made prisoner by the smugglers, sir. And now, if you will take my advice, sir, you will draw off the men and secure the lugger. By daylight I can, if we find a way up the cliffs, conduct you to the place they make their rendezvous."

"I repeat, Mr Leigh, that you must consider yourself under arrest,"

said the lieutenant stiffly. "Your plans may be very good, but I have already made my own."

Hilary said nothing, for he knew his officer of old; and that, while he would profess to ignore everything that had been said, he would follow out the advice to the letter.

And so it proved; for, drawing off the men, they were led down to the boats, the lugger was pushed off, and those of her crew left on board made to handle the sweeps till she was secured alongside of the cutter, where the smugglers to the number of eight were made prisoners below.

The men were in high glee, for it proved next morning that there was still enough of the cargo on board to give them a fair share of prize-money, and there was the hope of securing more of the cargo at the old hall of which Hilary spoke.

"I am quite convinced of the existence of that place, Mr Leigh," said the lieutenant pompously, "and I have been questioning the prisoners about it. If you give your promise not to attempt an escape, I will allow you to accompany the expedition under the command of the gunner, as I shall be obliged to stay on board."

To his intense astonishment, Hilary, who longed to head the party and try to capture the rest of the smuggling crew, drew himself up.

"Thank you, sir, no," he replied; "as I am a prisoner, I will wait until I have been before a court-martial. Shall I go below, sir?"

The lieutenant was speechless for a few moments.

"What, sir? go below, sir? and at a time like this when the ship is shorthanded, and we have eight prisoners to guard? This is worse and worse, Mr Leigh. What am I to think of such conduct?"

"What you please, sir," said Hilary quietly.

"Then, sir, in addition to deserting, which you try to hide by professing to have been made a prisoner, you now mutiny against my orders!"

"Look here, Lieutenant Lips...o...b..," cried Hilary, who was now in a pa.s.sion; "if you want me to take command of the expedition, and to lead the men to the smugglers' place, say so like a man. If you do not want me to go, send me below as a prisoner. I'm not going to act under our gunner."

"Mr Leigh," said the lieutenant, "I shall report the whole of your insubordinations in a properly written-out despatch. At present I am compelled to make use of your a.s.sistance, so take the gunner and six men."

"Six will not be enough, sir."

"Then take seven," said the lieutenant, impatiently.

"Seven will not be enough, sir," replied Hilary. "I must have at least a dozen."

"Bless my soul, Mr Leigh! hadn't you better take command of the cutter, and supersede me altogether?"