At last, after what seemed to be a full day in length of time, there was afar off a faint soft gleam of light on the surface of the water--a ray which sent a flood into the hearts of the watchers--and from that moment the light began to grow broader and higher, while they suddenly woke to the fact that the boat was moving gently towards the entrance of the cavern, drawn by the falling tide.

After a while there was a tiny archway; then this began to increase as the water sank and rose, but always rose less and less, leaving the sea anemones and the various sh.e.l.l-fish dotted with drops which gathered together, glittering and trembling in the light, and then fell with a musical drip upon the smooth surface.

The little arch increased rapidly after a time, and still the boat drew nearer to the entrance, neither of the boys having the heart to check its progress after their long imprisonment, for the outer world never looked so bright and glorious before.

But they had to pay for their pleasure. As the level sank till there was ample room to thrust the boat out, and they were thinking that to be safe they ought to withdraw a little and wait until they could feel sure that the lugger and her crew were gone--a departure they felt must be some time that evening, when the tide was at a certain stage well known to old Joe--the entrance was suddenly darkened once more by a boat, whose bows came with the stream from the right, and were cleverly directed in, while her occupants began to thrust her along by pressing against the sides, and a couple of lanthorns were held up.

"Aha!" cried the voice the boys had grown to hate, "so ve have found a pair of ze seal sitting in a boat vich zey steal avay. You are right, Joseph, _mon bon ami_. Your boat sall not have gone out of ze pool, and you sall have him back. Aha! Stop you bose, or I fire, and zis time I vill not miss."

"In, in farther, Vince," whispered Mike wildly.

"No: they've seen us, and they could follow us in their boat. It's of no use, Mike; we must give up this time."

"You hear me?" roared the captain fiercely. "I see quite plain vere you sall be. _Venez_. Come out."

"Come and fetch us," said Vince shortly. "You have your men."

The captain gave his orders, the boat was thrust on, and as its bow approached the boys saw the black silhouette of their old companion in many a fishing trip seated on the forward thwart.

This was too much for Vince, who began upon him at once, with bitter irony in his words and tone.

"You there, Joe!" he cried. "Good morning. Don't you feel very proud of this?"

"Dunno 'bout proud, young gen'leman; but I'm precious glad to get my boat back."

"Your boat back!" cried Vince, as one of the smuggler crew made fast a rope to the ring-bolt in their stern.

"Aye. Didn't know as young gen'lemen took to stealing boats altogether."

"You dare to say we stole the boat, and I'll--"

"Well, you took it right away, anyhow. That comes o' beginning with borrying and not asking leave."

"Better than taking to kidnapping people."

Old Joe growled out something, and shuffled himself about in his seat while the boat was drawn out into the sunshine once more, and drifted behind the other rapidly along till she reached the smugglers' cavern.

"Give zem some biscuit and some vater," said the captain. "You, Joseph, take your boat and go on. _Allez_!"

The old fisherman looked at him rather uneasily, then at the boys, and back at the captain.

"You hear vat I sall say?" cried the latter fiercely.

He made a menacing gesture; and the boys took each a deep draught of water, and began to nibble the hard sea biscuit that was their fare.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

THE TIGHTENING OF THE CHAINS.

There was something very grim and suggestive about the captain's behaviour to the two boys later on towards evening, when he came and stood glaring down at them, where they sat in the sand. He had said a few words to one of the men, who went up into the back of the cavern while the other waited; and Vince noted that there was a splashing sound round the corner of the b.u.t.tress which supported one side of the great arch, so that he was not surprised directly after to see the prow of a boat appear, to be run in and beached upon the sand.

Vince looked up inquiringly when the smuggling captain came and stood before him; but the man did not speak--he only glared down, apparently with the idea that he was frightening the lads horribly. Vince did not shrink, for he did not feel frightened, only troubled about home and the despondency there, as the time went by without news of their fate. For it was evident to him that the time had come for them to be taken on board ready for the lugger to sail.

The second man came back with some fine line in his hand.

"_Vite_--tight!" said the captain laconically.

"You're not going to tie us?" said Vince, flushing.

"Yais, bose togezaire," said the Frenchman, with a grin of satisfaction at seeing the boy moved to indignant protest.

"But if we say we will not try to escape?" cried Vince.

"I vill not believes you. _Non, mon ami_, ve have enough of ze _peine_ to _attraper_ you again. Two slippery _garcons_. I tie you bose like ze mutton sheep, and zen if von shump to run avays he pull ze ozaire down. _Vous comprenez_?"

"Oh yes, I comp.r.o.ng," cried Vince contemptuously. "Just like a Frenchman. An Englishman would not be afraid of a boy."

"Vat!" cried the captain, showing his teeth, as he raised his hand to strike--when, quick as lightning, the boy threw himself into an att.i.tude of defence; but the men seized him and dragged his arms behind his back.

"That's right, coward!" cried Vince, half mad now with excitement.

At the word coward the captain's face looked black as night, his right-hand was thrust into his breast pocket, and he drew out and c.o.c.ked a small pistol, while Mike darted to his companion's side, laid his hands across Vince's breast, and faced the captain; but he was seized by one of the men, who pa.s.sed the line about his wrists after it had been dexterously fastened round those of his fellow-prisoner.

"Never mind, Mike; but I like that, old chap!" cried Vince. "Well done!

Let's show him what English boys are like: he daren't shoot us. Do you hear, Jacques? _vous n'oses pas_."

"Aha! You begin by stumble blunder bad French, you _canaille_ boy. I not dare shoot you?"

"No," said Vince defiantly, as the pistol was presented full at his face. "You dare not, you great coward!"

"Aha, _encore_? You call me coward, _une insulte! Mais bah_! It is only a silly boy. Tie zem bose togezaire, my lad, an trow zem in ze boat. Silly boy! Like two shicken _volatile_ go to be roace for dinnaire. _Non, arretez_; stop, my lad. Coward! It was _une insulte_.

Now you apologise me."

"I won't," said Vince st.u.r.dily: "you are a coward to tie up two boys like this."

The black wrath in the Frenchman's face at these words made Mike shiver, and he pressed closer to Vince as the pistol was raised once more.

"Don't--don't," he whispered. "Say something: we are so helpless."

"Aha! I hear vat he say. Yais, you apologise me, sare."

"I won't," said Vince, who, with nerves strung by the agony he felt at his wrists, which were being cut into by the cord, was ready to dare and say anything.

"You vill not?" cried the captain, slowly unc.o.c.king the pistol, as his face resumed its ordinary aspect.

"No, I--will--not!" cried Vince. "Put it away. You dare not fire."