"You are welcome to it, my boy," said the landlady, "and who knows but that you'll one day come back a captain." The sailor laughed as he clapped the handcuffs on Dick's wrists. Directly afterwards the officer ordered the prisoners to be brought out, as the boat had arrived from the tender to carry them on board. Ben Rudall, who had hitherto been silent, finding that he was at once to be carried off, rose to his feet and lifting up his manacled hands addressed the officer, "It is hard lines for me, sir, to be dragged away from my wife and family, without so much as saying good-bye to them. They live not many doors off, down the lane; won't you just let me go down and kiss the children? Maybe you are a father yourself, and you wouldn't like to be carried away from your young ones without saying a few last words to cheer them up." "It can't be done, my man," answered the officer, turning away. "If I grant you the favour, all the rest will be wanting to go and wish their wives and children farewell, and a fine account I should have to give of them! Bring the prisoners along!" he shouted to the seamen. "You'll tell poor Susan what has happened," said Ben, as he passed the landlady. "Tell her to keep up her spirits. I'll be back home as soon as I can." "Trust me, Ben," said kind-hearted Mrs Simmons; "I'll see your wife to-morrow morning, and tell her what you say." The officer, losing patience, ordered his party to move on. The men-of-war's men kept close around their captives, who would, they knew, attempt to escape if there was the slightest chance of their doing so, or they thought it possible that the smugglers' associates might endeavour to rescue them. The boat, however, was reached without any attempt of the sort being made, and the prisoners were compelled to step on board. Some of the more daring resisted, hoping that perhaps even then assistance might come to them, but a seaman's pistol held at the heads of the refractory ones compelled them to obey, and in another minute they were all seated in the boat, which at once pulled away for the tender. Dick found himself seated next to Ben. "A bad job this, my boy; I never thought you and I should be hauled away like this," whispered Ben. "If they hadn't put our wrists in irons we'd be overboard and soon stowed away where they wouldn't find us in a hurry." Dick did not say he thought that it was owing to Ben he was brought into his present condition. He merely answered, "I wouldn't try to escape if I could. If a man-of-war is as bad as you say, I shall be dead in a short time, and it won't much matter to any one." "Silence there, men!" shouted the officer, who overheard Ben and Dick talking. "Give way, lads!"