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"Oh, won't I give Sir Henry a bit of my mind about the treatment I meet with here, and here he is." For just then he heard the tramp of feet over the boarded floor, the flinging open of the first door, then the steps in the passage, and he altered his opinion. "No!" he exclaimed; "it's old Allstone coming after his cutlass."
Hilary's first thought was concerning his cutlass, which was safe by his side, and jumping up, he listened. Then he went to the door and listened again, but all was perfectly still. What was he to do? he asked himself. He felt sure that Allstone would come before long, and others with him, to obtain possession of the weapon, and he was equally determined not to give it up.
"No one," said the man coolly; "but I shall interfere, and if you touch that lad again it'll be through me." "Do you hear this, lads?" cried Allstone. "He's breaking his oaths. Come on my side and we'll deal with him too." "This young fellow was about right when he called you an idiot, Jemmy Allstone," said the man quietly.
Towards afternoon he heard steps, and evidently his jailer was coming; but to his surprise, instead of Allstone being accompanied by two or three men, his companion was Sir Henry Norland, who had evidently just returned from a journey. "Ah, my dear Hilary," he exclaimed, "I have just been hearing of your narrow escape. My dear boy, I cannot tell you how sorry I am.
As he spoke his eyes fell upon the bit of worsted that was secured to the cutlass, and he was about to draw it up when he heard footsteps approaching from the interior, and he leaped lightly down and began walking about the place as the door was opened, and Allstone held it back for some of his men to enter with a couple of trusses of straw, a couple of blankets, a rough three-legged table, and a rougher stool, which were unceremoniously thrown or jerked down, and then, after a suspicious look at his prisoner, Allstone motioned to the men to go.
So sharp was the blow that Allstone quitted his hold, uttering hoarse cries, and staggered back two or three yards, while Hilary drove him farther by making at him as if about to deliver point.
"It was too much trouble to catch you, so we'll keep you now." Allstone struggled up, but Hilary's captor interfered as he was about to strike at him with his doubled fist. "No, no, Master Allstone," he said sharply, "I'm sure the skipper and Sir Henry wouldn't let you do that." "You stand aside," roared Allstone. "Who told you to interfere?"
"Come down!" he cried; but as Hilary did not condescend to notice him Allstone seized the young man by one of his legs, with the result that he clung with both hands to the iron bars, and raising up his knees for a moment, kicked out with as much cleverness as his friend the jackass, catching Allstone full in the chest and sending him staggering back for a few steps, where, unable to recover his balance, he went down heavily in a sitting position.
Here I've brought you something to eat, and you won't get any more till to-morrow." He set the rough tray he carried on the floor, and the man who was with him did the same, after which they both stood and stared at the prisoner. "Send him away," said Hilary suddenly, and he pointed to the fresh man. "What for?" "I want to talk to you." Allstone gave his head a jerk and the man went outside.
The next thing to ascertain was whether the door was unfastened; and he was about to rise and try, when the familiar sound of steps upon a boarded floor fell upon his ear, a door that he had not hitherto seen was opened, and Allstone, Sir Henry, and the sharp-looking captain of the lugger passed before him, and, entering the lit-up kitchen, were lost to sight.
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