The Powder Monkey | Page 3

to where his schooner lay moored to a buoy with a light swinging high in the rigging, and then went up to his room.
The boy was faster than ever, and as Jack Jeens held a guttering tallow candle over the sleeper's face, "Poor little chap," he said, smiling. "Why, if I get tumbling into bed it'll wake him up, and I won't do that. Here, this'll do."
Jack took the candle out of the stick and put it out very untidily by turning it upside down till the flame was choked, and then threw himself down upon the floor by the bedside.
"Quite as soft--bit softer perhaps--than the schooner's deck," he muttered. "Good-night, little un. The skipper'll make it all right for you in the morning, and--Heigh-ho-ha-hum! My word, I am jolly sleepy, and--"
Jack Jeens said no more, but the next instant he gave vent to a snore that ought to have awakened the boy but did not; and he lay sleeping hard till there was something louder than his own snore upon the stairs.
First there was the whispering of voices below; then a rough laugh; then the shuffling and stamping of feet, which ceased upon the landing outside the door, which was roughly tried, and being fastened, kicked in, while a fierce voice cried aloud in tones which made Jack Jeens spring to his feet under the belief that he was at home aboard the schooner and in his bunk.
"Ahoy there! Tumble up! Tumble up! In the King's name!"
CHAPTER TWO.
Jack Jeens and his young companion started up, sitting upon the floor, and both confused and wondering.
"Hillo!" ejaculated Jack.
"What's that?" said the boy, who could not tell where he was, while at that moment the window was pushed up a little and the voice of a man said softly:
"There's a ladder here. Quick, run for it! The pressgang!"
"Eh, what? Where?" growled the sailor, excitedly. "Bring a light? Where's the light?"
He knew the next moment, for the door was burst open with a crash and a party of men headed by an officer in uniform rushed into the room, filling it with light, for three of them bore ship's lanthorns, and Jack found that the warning had come too late, for he was seized by three men before he could even think of resisting, and held tightly with his back to the wall. "Only one, my lads?" cried the officer.
"Not sure yet, sir," replied one of the men, who ducked down to bring the light of the lanthorn he carried beneath the bed, while another of the party examined the cupboard, and a companion peeped up the chimney.
"No, sir; only one, sir," said a man who seemed to be a warrant officer; "but here's a nipper on the bed."
"I thought there had been more," said the leader. "Now, then, my lad," he continued, to the sailor, "it's of no use to kick against it. How many mates had you with you?"
"Ne'er a one," growled Jack, surlily. "What do you want with me?"
"Oh, you'll see soon enough. Come along. Mind you don't lose him, my lads."
"Never fear, sir," came in chorus, while the boy upon seeing that his new friend was in trouble slipped off the bed, ran to Jack's side, and grasped his hand tightly.
"You can't press me," cried Jack, now growing angry, and, as if obeying an instinct which made him feel it to be his duty to protect the boy, drawing him close to his side.
"Can't we, my lad?" said the officer, laughing. "Why, we have pressed you."
"But I belong to a schooner in the bay," cried Jack.
"You belong to the King now, my lad."
Jack Jeens glanced wildly at the speaker and then at the open window, where a face was seen dimly for a moment or two by the light shed by the lanthorns; and the next moment he would have flung off the men who held his arms to right and left, and rushing to the opening, have sprung out. But somehow at that moment the tight grasp of his young companion had the effect of making him feel that he could not leave the little fellow who had so strongly appealed to his better feelings, and he stood fast.
The next moment the chance was gone, for one of the gang ran to the window, shut it down with a bang, and fastened it securely.
"There, bring them along, my lads," said the leader, and just then the man who seemed to be a warrant officer whispered something.
"Eh? What? No, he's too little."
"Powder monkey, sir; and he'll grow."
"To be sure. Of course," cried the officer; "and it's two instead of one. Bring him along."
"Here, what yer going to do?" cried Jack, excitedly. "You mustn't touch this boy; he's--"
"That'll do!" roared the officer, and at a sign from him a couple