hich touches at
Rockland, arrived, almost everybody went down to the wharf, Mr. Gordon
among the number.

"If you see the man who paid you the bill, point him out, if you please,
but don't say anything about it," said Mr. Brooks, as the gang plank of
the steamer was run out.

"There he is!" exclaimed Mr. Gordon, as Captain Chinks walked from the
boat to the wharf.

The deputy sheriff and Mr. Hines kept out of sight. Bobtail had been
sent away in the Skylark, that she might not attract the attention of
the smuggler, and was standing off and on a mile or more from the shore.

As soon as Captain Chinks landed, he was greeted by Ben, his nephew, who
was doubtless glad to see him.

"I s'pose you are tired of waiting--ain't you, Ben?" asked the captain,
who wore a troubled expression.

"Not a bit on't. I've been makin' five dollars a day, right along,
takin' parties out to sail," replied Ben, with a cheerful grin; "but I
had to pay a boy half a dollar a day to help me."

"That's pretty well."

"Why didn't you come down afore?"

"Because I didn't hear anything from St. John; and things are a little
mixed up to Camden."

"Mixed! Why, I thought everything had come out fust rate. You got the
Skylark and the stuff back as slick as a whistle."

"Who told you so?" demanded the captain, with a startled look.

"Why, Little Bobtail. He's here in the Skylark, and said you sent him."

Bobtail certainly had not said any such thing. Ben had inferred it from
what Mr. Hines had stated. It was not prudent to talk of these matters
in the midst of so many people, and the captain and his nephew hastened
on board of the Eagle.

"I didn't send him," said Captain Chinks, very much perplexed.

"You didn't?"

"No; the young villain picked up the boat, but I couldn't do anything
with him."

"Sho!" exclaimed Ben, who began to be worried himself. "Bobtail's here,
and that other man with him."

"What other man!" demanded the captain, savagely.

"That man that took the stuff off your hands."

"What stuff!"

"Why, the liquor that was in the Skylark."

"What do you mean, Ben?"

"Didn't Bob pick up the Skylark and land the stuff in the night; and
didn't you sell it to that other man? and didn't he move it out of Bob's
house in the night?"

"No!" roared Captain Chinks.

"That's what they said, anyhow," added Ben, stoutly.

"Who said so?"

"Why, the man that took the stuff off your hands."

"Who is he?"

"Well, don't yo