a
virtue of necessity, he whipped out his dirk and ran hard at the dog,
who checked his pace, hesitated, stopped, barked more furiously than
ever, and then turned round, and was chased by the midshipman, who drew
up on finding himself face to face with Sir Risdon's daughter, out for
her daily walk.

The girl turned white, and was in the act of turning to run away, when
Archy's words arrested her.

"No, no," he cried, "don't run away."

She stopped, and looked from his face to his dirk, and back.

"Oh, I see," he said, "that alarmed you. There," he continued,
sheathing the little weapon, "I only drew it because your dog looked so
fierce. Does he bite?"

"Sometimes, I'm afraid. But were you coming to see my father? Who are
you?" she added uneasily, as she glanced at the lad's uniform.

"I am Archibald Raystoke, of His Majesty's cutter _White Hawk_."

"And you want to see my father?" cried the girl, beginning to tremble.

"Well, yes, I ought to see him. The fact is, we have landed to search
for a quantity of smuggled things, and to make a capture of the
smugglers if we can."

Celia looked at him wildly, and her face grew more and more white.

"Will you show me the way to the house? The Hoze you call it, do you
not?"

Celia gave a quick, almost imperceptible nod, as she recalled how she
had lain in her clothes, and listened to the busy coming and going of
footsteps, for the greater part of the night.

As all this came to her mind, she felt at first as if she must run to
warn her father. Then a giddy feeling of dread came over her, and she
stood staring blankly at the frank-looking boy before her.

"I know the great vault is full of smuggled things," she said to
herself, "and that they will think my father put them there. What shall
I do?"

"Poor little lassie!" said Archy to himself, as he smiled complacently;
"she has never seen an officer in uniform before, and I frightened her
with my drawn sword."

At that moment, Gurr came up with the men, and Celia seemed as if turned
to stone.

"This young lady lives at the house, Mr Gurr," said Archy aloud, "and
she will show us the way."

Poor Celia felt as if she could neither move nor speak. It seemed
horrible to her that she should have the task of guiding the king's men,
perhaps to arrest her father. But just then she was brought to herself
by the behaviour of the dog, who, on seeing his mistress talking in a
friendly way to the stranger who had