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"Oh, I'll give you my word to say nothing about you, if on that condition you will let us proceed on our way," said Lord Reginald; "although I cannot make out what reason you have for asking us." "Our reasons do not concern you, so give us your answer without further delay." "I promise, then, on the word of an officer and a gentleman, not to mention having met you," said Voules.
At last he came to one with grizzled hair and beard, which he recognised as that of the smuggler Ben Rudall, who had by his means been torn from his home. "Unhappy wretch! By the way Voules and I treated him he must have had a miserable life of it on board. I suspect that he and Hargrave, if they had had the opportunity, would have treated me as I deserve. Would that I could forget the past!
"The kindness of Captain Moubray; who, hearing, when our frigate came to an anchor in Yarmouth Roads, that we were within a short distance of this, allowed me and my messmate Voules, at my request, to come on shore and pay you a visit, while the Wolf is refitting at Portsmouth." "What brings her back?" asked his father. "I understood that she was not expected home for some time."
"You will keep close to me, Mr Voules," said Lieutenant Mason, "for I have as many prisoners on board as I can well manage, and should they be disposed to rise upon us they might succeed if we don't keep a bright look-out." The French privateersmen were indeed a very rough-looking set of fellows. By the way they had fought they showed that they were capable of daring and doing any act of violence.
"Everything is in our favour," observed Lord Reginald to Voules; "but we must take care not to lose sight of her for a moment. Take care that sharp-eyed fellows are stationed on the forecastle. I must turn in for a spell, though do not fail to call me should anything occur."
"Thanks," said George limply. "And you, Mr. Sturgis, you must redouble your efforts. You must search the land; you must scour the sea to find George Lattaker." "He needn't take all that trouble," said a voice from the gangway. It was Voules. His face was flushed, his hat was on the back of his head, and he was smoking a fat cigar. "I'll tell you where to find George Lattaker!" he shouted.
"Well, well, take care that you keep her in sight, and sing out if she changes her course." "Ay, ay, sir," answered Ben, and Voules went aft again earnestly hoping that thick weather would come on, and that the chase would be lost sight of. He could then throw the blame on the two look-out men, who would not be likely to escape punishment.
"I fear not," answered Voules, in a faint voice. "I am bruised all over, and I feel as if my right leg was broken." "I hope not," said Lord Reginald, examining the limb. To his dismay he found that Voules was right. "We must try and set it," he observed; "though it will prevent you being of much use for some time to come, you must not despair on that account.
Voules put on as sedate an air as possible, although just then he did not feel very capable of guiding himself, for he had had considerable difficulty in steering a straight course along the passage which led to his room. "You may depend upon me, my dear Lord John, that I will do my best to keep your lordship's brother out of mischief.
"I dislike the fellows, and though I should be thankful if any of the crew escaped, I should not like to see their faces. The chances are they would wreak their vengeance on our heads, helpless as we are, without the slightest means of defence." "I should be thankful to think that we had not been the cause of their deaths," said Voules.
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