A TALE OF TWO TUNNELS NOVELS, ETC., BY W. CLARK RUSSELL Crown 8vo., cloth extra, 3s. 6d. each; post 8vo., illustrated boards, 2s. each; cloth limp, 2s. 6d. each. ROUND THE GALLEY FIRE. IN THE MIDDLE WATCH. ON THE FO'K'SLE HEAD. A VOYAGE TO THE CAPE. A BOOK FOR THE HAMMOCK. THE MYSTERY OF THE 'OCEAN STAR.' THE ROMANCE OF JENNY HARLOWE. AN OCEAN TRAGEDY. MY SHIPMATE LOUISE. ALONE ON A WIDE WIDE SEA. THE GOOD SHIP 'MOHOCK.' THE PHANTOM DEATH. IS HE THE MAN? THE CONVICT SHIP. HEART OF OAK. THE TALE OF THE TEN. THE LAST ENTRY. A TALE OF TWO TUNNELS. Crown 8vo., cloth, 3s. 6d. THE SHIP: HER STORY. With 50 illustrations by H. C. SEPPINGS WRIGHT. Small 4to., cloth, gilt top, 6s. LONDON: CHATTO & WINDUS, 111 ST. MARTIN'S LANE, W.C. A TALE OF TWO TUNNELS A ROMANCE OF THE WESTERN WATERS BY W. CLARK RUSSELL AUTHOR OF 'THE WRECK OF THE GROSVENOR,' 'THE CONVICT SHIP,' ETC. [Illustration: Decoration] A NEW EDITION LONDON CHATTO & WINDUS 1899 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE DEVIL'S WALK 1 II. CAPTAIN JACKMAN 31 III. THE DINNER 63 IV. THE PROPOSAL 93 V. BUGSBY'S HOLE 124 VI. FATHER AND DAUGHTER 158 A TALE OF TWO TUNNELS CHAPTER I. THE DEVIL'S WALK. The ship _Lovelace_ lay in the East India Docks, being newly arrived from an East India voyage. Her commander, Jackman, stood in her cabin and gazed in his glass; he looked at his face, and seemed to study it. There was a mark as of a blow close under the left eye, and he examined this mark with care. He was a handsome man, with regular features and a dark brown skin. His eyes were black and flashing, and, contrary to the custom of that age, he wore his hair close cropped behind. Being satisfied, he picked up a bag, locked a drawer, quitted his cabin, withdrew the key, and left the ship. He made his way on foot and by coach to Cannon Street, where the offices of the owners of the vessel were situated. Just when he was in the middle of the thoroughfare he was knocked down and his bag taken from him. He lay stunned for some moments, and, when he sprang to his feet, he caught sight of the darting figure of a man flinging the bag into some wide area and rushing on. Captain Jackman gave chase, but did not somehow think of recovering his bag. Then, feeling confused and amazingly shocked by this theft of fifteen hundred pounds in gold and paper--mostly in gold--the money of the owners, he gave up, and walked sullenly, without even thinking of brushing his clothes, towards the offices. Such was the story related to the owners by Captain Jackman of the ship _Lovelace_. He said he believed his assailant was a rascally little seaman whom he had shipped at Calcutta, and who had given him trouble all the way home. Did Captain Jackman see the man? Yes. Just outline enough of the flying figure to guess that it was he. How was the money done up? In three small bags.