If you do this, I'll promise to intercede for you two, and I daresay I can save you from punishment." "Well, that's handsome; isn't it, Jemmy ?" said Ram mockingly.
"Do you hear me ?" cried Archy.
"Oh, I can, quite plain," said Jemmy.
"So can I," said Ram; "but your dinner's ready, Mr Orficer; so come and have it." "Enough of this," cried Archy, wrenching himself free.

"Open that door, and let me go." "Better carry him, Jemmy." "If you dare!" cried the angry prisoner, beginning the struggle, but Jemmy Dadd's muscles were like steel, and he whipped the young midshipman off his feet, and carried him, kicking and struggling with all his might, right along the cave, Ram going first with the lanthorn; and in spite of its feeble, poor, dulled light, the prisoner was able to get a better idea of the shape and size of the place than he had had before.
The captive ceased struggling, and keenly watched the various pillars and heaps they passed, noting too how the cavern seemed to extend in a wide passage right on before them, and seemingly endless gloom.
"There you are," said Jemmy, as he set his burden down; "quite at home.
Is he going to ask us to dinner, Ram, lad, and send for his skipper to jyne us ?" Archy paid no heed to the man's jeering words, for he was thinking of the place, and trying to fix it all in his memory, for use when these two had gone.
He knew that he must have been over the parts he had seen again and again in the darkness, but beyond the memory of the great pillars he had marked, the place had made no impression; but now he had seen the way out, and the way further in, and throwing himself down, he without apparent reason took up a long narrow piece of stone, handled it for a moment or two, and set it down carelessly, but not with so much indifference that he did not contrive that it should act as a rough pointer, ready to indicate the direction of the door.
Feeling that it was useless to say more to his gaolers, especially after his attempt to escape, he half lay on the old sail; while, as if the darkness were the same to him as the light, the smuggler said laconically, "Going back!" turned on his heel, and disappeared in the black gloom.
"Brought you some bacon and some fried eggs, this time," said Ram, looking at him attentively, but Archy made no reply.
"No use to rile," continued the boy, "and you can't get out, so take it easy.

Father'll let you go some day." "Where is the cutter ?" said Archy sharply.
"I d'know.

Gone." "Gone ?" "Yes, she went off somewhere.

To look for you, pr'aps," said the boy grinning, "or else they think you're drownded." "Look here," said the midshipman suddenly, "you behaved very treacherously to me, but I'll forgive you if you'll let me go." "Look here," replied the boy, "you behaved very treacherously to us, dressing up, and spying on us; but I've got you, and won't let you go." "I was doing my duty, sir." "And I'm doing my dooty--what father telled me." "How much will you take to let me go ?" "How much will you give ?" said Ram, grinning, and the midshipman's heart made a bound.
"You shall have five pounds, if you'll let me go now, at once." "There's as much as you'll eat till I come agen," said Ram abruptly; "and if I don't forget you as I did my rabbits once, and they were starved to death, I'll bring you some more .-- I say!" Archy looked at him fiercely.
"Don't try to drink what's in them tubs.