CHAPTER VIII.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 200, 23 April 1887, Page 7

CHAPTER VIII.

ADKIFT AT SEA — A MOMENT OF HORROR ! JSJot until he had been so unceremoniously . placed in tho coach, and lifted upon a seat, did our hero take thought of the storm that had set in. Tho rain had commenced to fall in largo drops shortly after he had been led into the littered court-yard of the burned house, and it was now falling, or had been when he was last exposed, in a flood. He had ob- j served, shortly before turning into the narrow way where the ruffians had met him, that the clouds were rolling up from the chops of the Channel, piling themselves in great masses, and overspreading the gloomsome vault like a pall, and he had fancied that lightning and thunder were to follow. There had been one ad\ antage from the muffler that had been thrown over his head : It had come down so far over his person that his clothing had been kept comparatively dry. His coat- sleeves, were wet, as were the lower part ot his pants, but he gave no thought to this. His chief thought of the dampness was gj\en to the uncomfortable weight that had been added to the heavy coverlet. It had become so soaked that it clung to his face, hife soft Scotch cap or bonnet, which he wore for a head-covering, having no tendency towards bearing it away. At length every breath he inhaled drew the wet mass close against his lips, so that his breathing became even more painfully impeded than it had been before, and once more he put forth Avhat effort he could tom aid asking that relief might be given him. His arms, too, were in pain, but he would , endure that if he could but gain a bit of fresh air to his exhausted lungs. By and by his captors seemed to understand him. He was aware that they spoke a few words one to the other, and presently the muffler was lifted away from his ear as before, and he heard the same voice asking him if he would be perfectly quiet, and offer no resistance, if the gag were removed. He promised readily. He did not regard an attempt to escape in the light of resistance. And after a little time the cumbersome mass was wholly lifted oft' from his head, and thrown upon the floor of the rehicle. 0 ! what a blessed relief ! The captive youth expanded his chest to its utmost, | and fairly revelled in the life-giving labmir of breathing heaven's pure, fresh air. For a little time he could think of nothing else. As his broad bosom rose and fell, and life and strength returned, his thoughts wan- i dered away into a philosophical thesis on the ■vronderf ul properties of oxygen and the calamitous results of being deprived of it. But he soon came out from this mood. With his breath perfectly restored, he began to view his situation and surroundings. It was intensely dark, and the rain fell in torrents ; yet, after a time, he was able to catch vague and indistinct outlines and shadowy forms. The moon must have been a considerable distance above the horizon, and that, notwithstanding the dense blackness of the clouds, had a tendency to relieve the night of utter impenetrability. At all events, he could finally determine that he was in a close coach — 'not unlike a clarence- -that a man gat by his side, while another occupied the front seat, and sat facing him. There were large panes of glass in the doors, and other glass forward. The doors were shut, and the glazed sashes closed. What with the closeness of the place, and the noisy rumbling of the wheels, and tho tramping of the horses, Ralph thought it must be a powerful voice in trumpet tones that could reach ears outside. But he did not care to try the experiment. The next thought was of the direction in which he was being carried. He knew they were on the road that followed the shore of the Channel ; so Walling Cove must be the first settlement they would reach. Could it be possible that this was the destination ? He resolved to speak. If he spoke modestly, they would nob harm him for it. The most they could do would be not to respond. "Mates," he said, being careful not to raise his voice to a higher pitch than was absolutely necessary, " will you kindly tell me what this means? Will you tell me whither you are carrying me ?" The answer was prompt, and not unkind, though there was a ring of impatience in it. " Not a great way farther, sir." " What do you propose to do with me ?" "As true as the world I can't tell you. I don't know anything about it." " You know not why I have been thus seized and dragged away from home and friends ?" " I don'fc know nothink about it, sir," the man declared, with a spice of doggedness in tone and manner. "The man as knows we'll find at t' other end o* the woy'ge." " You can tell me — " " Hold on !" the ruffian interrupted — the one at his side. " Don't ask nothink more. Just belay where you are." Believing that further speech would be useless, and, perhaps, worse, our hero resolved to holdjiis peace until a more favourable opportunity should present itself. The rain still poured down in a flood, and the night seemed to be growing more and more dark. At length, not more than ten minutes after he haa heard spoken, the captive felt that the speed of the horses was being slackened, and shortly thereafter an abrupt turn was made, and very s.oon they were going down an easy slope towards the Channel he knew, not only by the course pursued, but he could distinctly hear the beating of the surf distinctly ahead. And now the pace of the horses was slackened until they were suffered to creep over the treacherous way only at a slow and careful walk. But it was not a great while thus. At a short distance beyond the turn the coach came to a dead stop, and Ralph heard a man getting down from the driver's box. Shortly after this, one of the vehicle was opened, and the two ruffians got out. " Now, my man ! look sharp — come ! Can't you stand up V While cramped up in the coach, with hie bound arms pressed against the padded leathern back, Ralph had not fully realised the torture the bonds were giving him ; but it came to him now in an agony of pain, which would have been utterly insupportable had not other things tended to distract bis thoughts and feelings. The rain, which was falling in torrents, was really grateful. Ifc cooled his fevered brow, and it did a little towards rendering the pain of his arms less acute and agonizing. Notwithstanding the density of the clouds, the presence of a moon, so near

its full, did much towards breaking the utter gloom. The captive could make out that three men were engaged in his abduction, and that one of them must have driven the horses on their way, as there was no one on the coach-box now. ! He discovered, further, that the man who appeared to be the leader of the trio was by far the tallest and most powerful of the party. He was, in short, about Ralph's own height, and he might have been a trifle heavier. This tone, when he spoke to his companions, and his manner, generally, plainly told that he was used to command. He was certainly young. Though his features were invisible, there was that in his bearing, in his movements, and in his speech which betrayed youth. Who could he be ? What did it all mean ? What was to como ? Ah ! he was soon to know ! They had at | length reached the water's edge, where two boats were seen— one, a small, dumpy affair ; the other larger, and evidently better. " Come, help yerself, if you can," said the chief as his two companions took the captive by the arms, and started to lift him into the smaller boat. "What is it for? Will you not tell me where 1 am going ?" " We're going for a sail, young man ; and let us hope 'twill be a pleasant one. Hi ! There you go ! Now find a seat. Here, —into the stern-sheets ! There we are !" - At that instant, as the captive youth had sank down upon the extreme after thwart of the boat, a broad, vivid sheet of flame leaped from out the blackness of the night, bathing land and sea in a flood of light. Ralph saw one thing, clearly and distinctly, —the chief of the ruffianly trio. The man stood , at tho moment, in the bow of the boat, facing him. Not a feature of the face did our hero lose. It was the face of a man not many years older than himself, — the face, lie could have sworn, in all save that of age— of Jonas Crandal ! The light was gone, and the crash of the thunder followed ; but that face the captive still saw, as clearly as when the lightning had revealed it. He remembered Tom Crandal ! They had met once, in the other year*, when they both were little more than boys, and he had not forgotten him. Yes, — it wn-> tho son of the steward of the Abbey — now the steward of Morna's father ; and — 0 ! just heavens i what might he be to Morna herself ! 0 i what — what was coming ? Why had Tom Crandal done this thing ? His frantic, agonising thoughts were interrupted by the next movement of his captors. Both boats had been pushed off from the shore ; the two helpers hail entered the larger one, and taken the oars ; then their chief had turned, and seated himself on the midship thwart of the other — that is the stern on which tho captive wap seated, and was placing a pair of oars in the row-locks, when a second flash of lightning streamed across the heavens, lighting up the scene even more vividly than before. Naturally, in order to ply his oars to the bebt advantage, the man who was to row sat with his oaek to the bows, facing his unwilling passenger in the stern-sheets. Once more that weather-bronzed face was revealed to its slightest lineament ; and, without stopping to reflect, moved thereto by the impulse of the moment, the captive spoke : " Tom Crandal ! For what have you done this thing ?" The light was gone, swallowed up in a blackness more dense than any which had preceded it, and the words of the speaker found echo in a crash and roar of thunder ! that shook both earth and sea. But the man with the oars had heard them. Ralph saw him start, and heard his quick gasp of surprise. He did not answer, however, but applied himself to his oars, which he handled with marvellous power and skill. Out into the Channel went the la.rge boat— far out beyond the headland — and then its head was turned to the southwest, directly towards the broad Atlantic ; and the smaller boat was kept close in her wake, the single oarsman of the latter putting forth strength fully equal to that of both his companions. Anon another sheet of electric flame lighted up the dark waters, and the eyes jof the two men — the oarsman and the passenger — captor and captive— met. As i soon as tho loud thunder had died away, our hero spoke again. " Tom Crandal, will you tell mo why you do this thing ?" "So! so!" muttered the pirate, speaking rather to himself than to the other. He raised his voice as he added : "So you know me. Well, it does not matter. Not very favourable weather for a pleasure excursion, is it ?" " Tom ! Tom ! If you have one spark of human feeling in your bosom, will you not tell me what this thing means ? Why have you brought me hither, and in this manner ?" " Wait, wait, my dear fellow. You shall know all about it very soon. Don't interrupt me now. No man can row and talk at the same time, and do justice in both I directions." With a deep, painful groan, the unhappy youth sank back and bent his head. A few moments later, came another Btream of lightning, and he looked up — looked to find the gaze of his companion fixed upon him with an expression of triumph and satisfaction. There was no mistaking the look. The smile that curled the heavy, animal lips was the smile of a demon. Ralph's | heart sank within him— sank utterly and I hopelessly. Again he bowed his head, not caring to speak further. In spite of the pain in his arms — a pain that had now gone to every part of his frame— Ralph's thoughts were busy. He called to mind the dark hints he had heard regarding Tom Crandal's life at sea. That he had been engaged in smuggling was known ; but it had been whispered that j darker deeds than that had marked his career. Sitting there in hie bonds, with the rain beating down, and the breaking waves ever and anon adding their volume of wet, he wondered if the young pirate chief had ventured to run his vessel into the^ Channel, and was now taking him to it, for the purpose of carrying him away to some distant point, where he would be unable to interfere with the doings of Crandal senior. Several lightning bolts had fallen since the boats had put off, and by the glare of the last the captive saw that the bold headlands had been left almost out of sight. I Not only had the oars been plied vigorously, 1 but a strong north-easterly wind, setting down the Chmmel, had helped them on their Way. He not then think of the tide, but he tho.. yht of it later. Of the lapse ol bime Ralph had been able to keep no clear account. It had been not far from a quarter-past eight o'clock when he had been intercepted by the ruffians. More ' than an hour had passed from that time before they had reached the boats. Yes, an hour and a quarter, and perhaps more than that. Then they had certainly been on the water another hour, and more. He was thinking of this, and had told himself that it must be very near 11 o'clock, when he noticed that the larger boat had stopped, the men in her jhaving ceased rowing and raised their oars ; and a few moments later Tom had pulled hia boat to her side. A few words were exchanged between the chief and the twe

helpers, which our hero could not understand ; only he knew that; in the end the former had bade one of the others that he should lay hold upon the gunwale of his boat and hold it fast. And then Tom Crandal arose, and with much care— clinging to the sides of the boat and to the thwarts— came aft. The sea was rough, and the light craft was tossed about Tike an egg-shell. " Shall I look at the lashing on your arms, young man ?" he asked, as he reached the open space in the stern-sheets. "0!" cried Ralph, imploringly, "why will you not call me by my name ? You know it well enough." " Look you, my dear boy," said the other, coolly, and seemingly with a wicked smile on his face, "lam not more than two or three years, perhaps, older than yourself j but when you have lived even those years you may have come to know that a man had better not call every name he knows. I may know yours and I may not. But, say shall 1 look at that lashing ?" " Yes ! yes ! 0 ! remove that, and I think I can bless you !'' The wretch reached over, and felt carefully around the turns of the cord, and examined particularly the knot. Two minutes, perhaps, he spent thus, and then he drew back. " The lashing is all right, my dear fellow. 'Twould be a pity to disturb it. " And with that he turned, and started to make his way to the centre of the boat. llalph was too utterly astounded — too shocked and too miserable for speech. He knew, further, that words would be thrown away upon the heartless wretch who could so cruelly and wantonly torture a fellowcreature. He saw the man stoop, and feel around with his right hand — a flash of lightning at that moment revealed the movement — saw him feeling under the thwart, at the bottom of the boat, as though searching for something lie had dropped. The Avatcher had i on to remember it afterwards ! AY ther j he picked up anything Ralph could i • seo. The next tiling he saw Crandal— f< Tom Crandal he now knew the man to be — saw him pass his two oars into the larger boat, and quickly follow them, and take his seat at the stern, and ship the tiller ; then a j mast was stepped and a sail loosed. One last cry for mercy the suffering prisoner sent forth, beseeching them, if they were human, that they would at least cut his bonds. But they paid no attention to his call— appeared to give him not a thought. " Let fall !" shouted Tom to his helpers. " Pull away !" he added, as the oar-blades fell into the water. In a moment more the I lnng boat was shooting away, and very soon the unfortunate youth had seen the last of her. No, not the last. Twice after j that the lightning revealed her, farther and farther away, her sails drawing ; but the third flash lighted up to his view only a boundless waste of turbulent, inky waters - inky save where the breaking crebts I threw out phosphorescent scintillations. j When the last glare of electric light had shown to the bound captive the desolate solitude of waters, the last hope seemed gone, and in the wild agony of the moment he could think only of Heaven. He started to throw himself forward upon his knees to j pray. He attempted to gain his feet -to rise from his feet — but could not. His bonds had become entangled in something in the woodwork at his back. He found afterwards that it was a small brass cleet, to which the sheet of the boat's sail was belayed when in use. He pulled smartly ; then leaned forward, drawing upon the cord as he did so. This he had done thrice, and was changing the direction of his draught upon the cord to a sidelong movement, when he felt a giving way — a loosening — and at the same time he could feel the position of one or two of the turns around nis wrists slightly change. He stopped, and thought, with Ms heart in his mouth. Could it be possible that a turn or bend of the knot had become caught on a horn of the cleet, and that he might draw it out— loose ? With his heart hushed — with every nerve strung to its utmost tension— he slowly, ! carefully and steadilyraised himself as before Yes, he felt the cord becoming looser. The i knot was being broken. One more pull, ; another, and an end of the cord fell at his side, drawn completely out from the knot. | Then he worked his hands a few times to and fro, and finally ' ' 0 ! Merciful Heaven ! I thank Thee with all my heart !" The words burst from his lips as he felt his hands free, and the cruel torturing bond fallen at his feet. Then, in the depths of his gratitude, he clasped his hands, and sank down upon his knees. But he was up again instantly. A new horror was upon him. He had found the raised floor of the stern -sheets buried deep in water ; and above the howl of the wind, and the beating of the rain, he heard the terrible bubbling of rushing water, seeming to come from a point somewhere amidships. Ha ! The boat had been scuttled ! He remembered the stooping and the manipulation of Tom Crandal in that very place ! The boat's bottom had been bored before hand, and the heartless wretch had simply found the plug and drawn it out ! With a sharp cry of alarm, the horrified youth sprang forward. Away from the raised floor the water in the boat was more than knee-deep ! Ah ! Heaven help him now. And for that help he prayed. ( To be continued. )