Dore well knew would be
the case, revealed nothing on which the revenue could lay hands--not a
bale nor keg of spirits, nor even a few pounds of tobacco.

"Circumstances certainly were suspicious. You have cleaned her out
completely," said the officer, turning to Dick, and as he did so eyeing
him narrowly. "Where was the cargo run?"

Dick was very nearly replying, "Not long ago," and thus confessing that
the cargo had been run, but recollecting in time that the smugglers
might object to such an answer, he said--

"I am merely a passenger on board, sir, and it is not my business to
answer questions."

"What's your name, my lad?" asked the officer.

Dick was on the point of replying, when Ben, who had heard the question,
stepped up. "It is your business, Mr Lieutenant, to overhaul this
craft and see that there are no smuggled goods on board, and when that
business is over you have nothing more to do. That youngster's name may
be Jack Robinson, or it may be Tom Jones, but whatever it may be is no
business of yours."

The officer put several questions to others of the crew, but neither
from them nor from the captain could he elicit any of the information he
required. They were perfectly civil to him, and offered not the
slightest opposition to his going through every part of the vessel, and
joked with the boats' crews, several recognising old shipmates. They
shook hands, patted each other on the back, and appeared on the most
friendly terms. Yet the case would have been very different had the
_Nancy's_ cargo been on board. There would then have been a death
struggle, the one to defend, the other to take possession of the craft,
and they would have fought until one or the other had been defeated.

"Well, Captain Dore," said the lieutenant, "you have been too smart for
us this time, but we intend to catch you some day or other."

"Maybe the _Nancy_ will be sunk by an enemy's cruiser before then. You
seem to have an idea, lieutenant, that we are smugglers. I didn't think
fit to gainsay you before, but if you'll step back into my cabin I'll
show you my privateer's licence, which will prove to you that we are
engaged lawfully, making war against the French trade," answered Dore.

"Well, well, whichever you are, I won't longer detain you; but before I
go I wish to have a word with the youngster I saw on board, the son of a
respectable farmer living out Milford way."

"We detain no one on board against his wil