"I'll tell you what you deserve, old man; and what, if the coastguard suffer to-night, you will receive. You deserve to be thrown into the river as you are; and if I have many words with you, and you refuse to give me a plain direction and answer to whatever question I put to you, you may depend upon it I will do it myself; and that will soon settle all disputes between us. You have had in your wallet, pistols; your crook would make a flagstaff; and I find, upon dragging you along, that, as your jacket buttons give way, you have half a sheet round your body. Tell me, when did you intend to give the smugglers the signal? It will do you no good to tell me a lie. You have seen enough to be convinced I understand what you are. You had better tell me the truth at once, or a cold salt-water bath will compel you to do so." "Not to-night!--not to-night!" "Why not to-night?" "Because the coastguard are upon the watch." As they proceeded on their way, Edward asked the old man, "Do you expect Captains Laud or Luff to-night? You may as well tell me; for you must be pretty well convinced, by this time, that I know what is going on." "Well--I expect Captain Luff. Laud is dead." The young man fairly dropped the crook, as he repeated Maud's words--"Laud is dead! Laud is dead!--How do you know that?" "If you will unbind me, I will tell you all about it." "Perhaps I may, when you tell me how and where he died, and show me what proof you have of his death." "Will you unbind me then?" "Yes; when I think you have been bound long enough." "These thongs cut me sore." "How can that be? they are too broad to cut; and if you do not attempt to draw your hands asunder, you know, as well as I do, that the knot is tied so that they cannot hurt you. I see, by your keeping your hands close together, that they do not hurt you."