CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
There was another ejaculation uttered upon that rough ledge of rock, andit was uttered by Aleck, in the form of the one word:
"Eben!"
The man gave forth a hoarse cry, sprang upon him, and pinned him by theshoulders against the rock, panting breathlessly the while as ifexhausted by previous exertions, while his lips were drawn back from hiswhite teeth and he wore generally the aspect of some savage bunted beastat bay.
"Don't!" cried Aleck, angrily, dragging at the man's wrists as he notedhis fierce looks; "you hurt. Let go. Why, I thought the press-gang hadtaken you right away?"
"Did yer?" growled the man, breathlessly, through his set teeth, whilehis dark eyes seemed to glitter. "Then you see they haven't. What areyou doing here?"
"Having the skin rubbed off the back of my head, I think," cried Aleck,struggling to get free. "Be quiet! Are you mad?"
"'Most," panted the man, tightening his grasp.
"But you'll have me off the ledge here if you don't mind."
"Yes, and then you'll tell no tales," growled the man, in a hoarsewhisper, for he was recovering his breath.
"What about?" said Aleck, uneasily, for the man's manner was terrible inits intensity.
"What about?" snarled Eben.
"Yes; I don't understand you. I say, Eben, have you escaped?"
The man glared at him, and the look which met his--a look full ofenquiry and perfectly fearless--seemed to disarm him somewhat.
"No," he said, "I won't think it was your doing, my lad."
"What?" asked Aleck.
"Putting the gang on to us the other night."
"Mine? No; I was fast asleep in bed when the shots woke me, and I wentup the cliff to see."
"Ah! I s'pose so," said the smuggler, in a hoarse whisper. "I'veescaped for a bit, but they're after me. I s'pose they felt I shouldcome back to the missus. I say," he continued, eagerly, "is she allright, Master Aleck?"
"Yes. I've seen her two or three times right up the cliff."
"What for?" said the smuggler, sharply, and his eyes glittered fiercelyagain.
"To look and see if you were coming, of course."
"Yes, of course," said the man, in a peculiar manner, and a curioussmile dawned upon his lip.
"But how did you manage to escape?"
"Jumped overboard and swam for it."
"From the cutter's boat?"
"No, from the sloop's port-hole, my lad. But what about the cutter'sboat?" he added, with a sharply questioning look.
"She came across to the cove this morning, and I saw her not long ago."
"Looking for me?"
"No; for the young middy who is missing. Tell me, Eben, did you knowanything about him?"
"Me? Hush, don't talk! The cutter's men have been hunting me this lasthalf-hour, and they're out yonder among the gullies now. They see me, Ithink. So you've found it then?" he said, with a savagely maliciousgrin.
"Yes; I never knew there was a way down here."
"Been often, I s'pose?"
"Been often? Why, I'd just got here when I heard you coming."
"Ahoy!" came faintly from somewhere in front. "There it is again,Eben," cried Aleck, forgetting everything else now in the excitement ofhis discovery. "You heard it?"
"Yes, I heard it," said the man, grimly.
"I heard it yesterday too," continued Aleck. "Some poor fellow hasfallen down the cliff somewhere about here, and I was trying to get downto him."
The man looked at him curiously and as if he was trying to read himthrough and through.
"What for?" he said, hoarsely.
"What for? Don't I tell you I've heard him before, crying for help? Hemust have broken an arm or a leg, or he would have climbed back."
"If he could," said the smuggler, grimly. "Here, hold hard a minute.Don't you stir, on yer life."
"Oh, I'm not going to run any risks!" said Aleck, coolly. "I know it'sdangerous."
"Very," said the hunted man, in a peculiar tone and with a peculiarlook. "You stand fast, my lad."
He had for some time released his hold of the lad, and turned tore-mount the rock.
"What are you going to do?" said Aleck.
"Hush! Don't shout like that, youngster. Don't I tell you the cutter'smen saw me and are after me?"
"Oh, yes; of course," said Aleck, coolly; "but, look here; you hide abit, and I'll call them."
"What!" gasped the smuggler, in his astonishment. "What for? To takeme?"
"No, no! They could help to find the poor fellow lying somewhere belowthere."
"No, they couldn't," said the man, fiercely. "You be quiet there, Isay."
"Well, of course you don't want to be taken, and I don't want them totake you, Eben."
"Say that again, lad," cried the man, excitedly.
"What for? I say I don't want the press-gang to drag you away, even ifyou are a smuggler."
"Why?" cried the man, excitedly.
"Because it seems so hard on your poor wife."
"Hah-ah-ah!" ejaculated the man, softly, as he turned away his face andspoke more gently. "You keep quiet here, Master Aleck, while I go andsee what the cutter's men are about. I won't be long, and when they'vegone I'll help you to find the poor fellow for saying that."
"For saying what?"
"Your words about my poor lass. Master Aleck, I'm a bad 'un, but shedon't think so, and if I don't get back to her it'll be the death of thepoor gal. Now, after my saying that soft stuff will you go and splitupon me?"
"Betray you? No, you know I won't."
"Yes, I know you won't, my lad. You allus was a gentleman, MasterAleck. There, I'm off. I shan't be long, and when I come back I'llhelp you to find the poor chap as is hurt."
"Thank you, Eben; but mind the men don't take you."
"I'll mind, my lad; but if there's an accident and I don't come back youwait till the cutter's men have rowed me away, and then you go and tellthe missus. Say she's to help you find the poor chap as is hurt and gethim away."
"But she couldn't climb about here, Eben."
"Better than you can, my lad."
"Very well, then. Thank you," said Aleck, feeling a bit puzzled at theman's words. "In the meantime I'll go on looking for him. He must besomewhere close by."
"No, he isn't," said the man, grimly.
"How do you know?"
"'Cause I do," was the reply, and then, actively as a goat, the smugglersprang up the rocks and was gone.
The Lost Middy: Being the Secret of the Smugglers' Gap Page 22