The Two Shipmates | Page 6

serve his Majesty
for a year or two and come home with his pockets full of rhino to set up
house. As to the protection, I knew from the first that was all fudge; so
as we've lost too much time already palavering about it, come along,
my brave fellow, without more ado." As he spoke he again seized
Ralph by the arm, and three of the men stepped forward to assist him.
Poor Jessie clung to Ralph frantically, entreating that he might be
allowed to remain. "He will bring you the paper to-morrow; I can
answer for him, and so can my grandmother. He never told a falsehood
in his life; he would not deceive even you," she exclaimed. "Oh, let him
go! Cruel, cruel men!"
"The young man speaks only the truth," said Dame Treviss, trembling
with agitation as she rose from her chair and tottered to her grand
child's assistance.
While two of the men had seized Ralph, another was about to tear
Jessie from him, when the dame took the poor girl in her arms.
"Take off your hands, lads, and I will accompany you without
attempting to escape," he said, and the men releasing him he bore Jessie
to the little horse-hair sofa, where he placed her by the dame's side,
bestowing on her a loving kiss as he did so.

Having released himself gently from her arms, "Now I am ready to
accompany you, sir," he said, and walked steadily towards the door.
Perhaps even then the king's officer might have felt that the merchant
seaman was, morally, his superior.
The dame, fearing that Jessie might be exposed to some rough
treatment should she attempt to stop Ralph, held her in her arms till he
had reached the door. She cast a fond look at him as his captors hurried
him away.
The door was closed--he was gone! She listened with aching heart to
the retreating steps of the cruel press-gang as they bore off their
prisoners, till the sound died away in the distance. In vain her
grandmother tried to console her; a fearful foreboding filled her gentle
bosom that she might never see him more, and she refused to be
comforted.
CHAPTER THREE.
As soon as Ralph Michelmore was in the road, though he had offered
no resistance, he was roughly thrust into the midst of the press-gang,
who again closed round their prisoners. The officer called off the men
on the watch at the other side of the house, and gave the order to
proceed back to the boats. They had not gone far when Ralph felt one
of his fellow captives stumble up against him, evidently to attract his
attention.
"Hist, old ship! I'd have given a year's wages rather than have seen you
in the hands of the gang," whispered the man, whom he knew at once to
be Dick Bracewell.
"Thank you, Dick," answered Ralph. "I am vexed with myself for not
having brought my protection with me. I shall, however, get it
to-morrow, without doubt, so I shall be all right. I am sorry though to
find that you have been pressed."
"It's little odds to me where I am, but much to you whether you keep
your liberty, according to what you told me about that young girl,"

answered Dick, in the same low tone. "Now, depend on't, they'll take
good care you don't receive your protection, for I've found out that we
are to be shipped this very night aboard the Falcon, now lying in the
Sound, and that she sails for a foreign station--the East Indies, they
say--to-morrow morning. Bless ye, old ship! Before Captain Mudge
can bring you your protection we shall have run the Eddystone out of
sight."
This information made Ralph very anxious, for he had too much reason
to fear that it was correct. Dick fancied that some of the press-gang
were observing him, and was silent for some time, though not idle with
his fingers, walking on as if resigned to his fate. Once more he
stumbled, apparently without intending to do so, against Ralph.
"Hist, mate! You'd like to get your liberty, and come what may I've
made up my mind to help you," he whispered. "My hands are free. In
half a minute we shall be close to some dark lanes, and more than one
hiding-place I know of. I'll knock the fellow down nearest to you, and
then do you run for it."
"I cannot do it, Dick; I promised not to run, and I must not break my
promise," answered Ralph.
"Oh, nonsense!" cried Dick; "if those fellows made you give a promise
it's their look out."
"A promise is a promise in God's sight, however made," said Ralph.
"Then you don't care for the young girl