ave
received some information. There must be treachery somewhere; but we'll
soon find that out."

It may appear singular that Lilly could speak so positively as to a
vessel at a great distance; but it must be remembered that she had been
brought up to it, nearly all her life. It was her profession, and she
had lived wholly with seamen and seamen's wives, which will account for
her technical language being so correct. What Lilly said was true; it
was the Yungfrau, which was beating up to regain her port, and having to
stem a strong ebb tide during the night, had not made very great
progress.

"There are three other vessels in the offing," said Lilly, looking
round, "a ship and two brigs, both going down channel:" and, as she said
this, the little thing dropped lightly from rock to rock till she stood
by her mother, and commenced rubbing her hands before the now blazing
fire.

"Nancy must go over to Portsmouth," observed the mother, "and find out
all about this. I hardly know whom to suspect; but let Nancy alone,
she'll ferret out the truth--she has many gossips at the Point. Whoever
informed against the landing must know of this cave."

But we must introduce the mother of Lilly to the reader. She was a
tall, finely-featured woman, her arms beautifully moulded, and bare.
She was rather inclined to be stout, but her figure was magnificent.
She was dressed in the same costume as her daughter, with the exception
of a net worsted shawl of many colours over her shoulders. Her
appearance gave you the idea that she was never intended for the
situation which she was now in; but of that hereafter. As the reader
may have observed, her language was correct, as was that of the child,
and proved that she had not only been educated herself, but had paid
attention to the bringing up of Lilly. The most perfect confidence
appeared to subsist between the mother and daughter: the former treated
her child as her equal, and confided everything to her; and Lilly was
far advanced beyond her age in knowledge and reflection; her countenance
beamed with intelligence; perhaps a more beautiful and more promising
creature never existed.

A third party now appeared from the cave; although not in canonicals,
his dress indicated his profession of a priest. He approached the
mother and daughter with, "Peace be with you, ladies."

"You forget, good father," replied the elder of the females, "my name is
Alice--nothing more."

"I crave p