put in jail without
you are. We all sail in the same boat, and when you leave me you take
with you everything that can condemn the vessel--so here's success to
our trip.'

'We will all drink that toast, my lads, and then on board,' said the
captain; 'here's success to our trip.'

The captain rose, as did the mates and men, drank the toast, turned down
the drinking vessels on the table, hastened to the wharf, and in half an
hour the _Happy-go-lucky_ was clear of the port of St. Maloes.

CHAPTER IV

PORTLAND BILL

The _Happy-go-lucky_ sailed with a fresh breeze and a flowing sheet from
St. Maloes the evening before the _Arrow_ sailed from Barn Pool. The
_Active_ sailed from Portsmouth the morning after.

The yacht, as we before observed, was bound to Cowes, in the Isle of
Wight. The _Active_ had orders to cruise wherever she pleased within the
limits of the admiral's station; and she ran for West Bay, on the other
side of the Bill of Portland. The _Happy-go-lucky_ was also bound for
that bay to land her cargo.

The wind was light, and there was every appearance of fine weather, when
the _Happy-go-lucky_, at ten o'clock on the Tuesday night, made the
Portland lights; as it was impossible to run her cargo that night, she
hove-to.

At eleven o'clock the Portland lights were made by the revenue cutter
_Active_. Mr. Appleboy went up to have a look at them, ordered the
cutter to be hove-to, and then went down to finish his allowance of
gin-toddy. At twelve o'clock the yacht _Arrow_ made the Portland lights,
and continued her course, hardly stemming the ebb tide.

Day broke, and the horizon was clear. The first on the look-out were, of
course, the smugglers; they, and those on board the revenue cutter, were
the only two interested parties--the yacht was neuter.

'There are two cutters in sight, sir,' said Corbett, who had the watch;
for Pickersgill, having been up the whole night, had thrown himself down
on the bed with his clothes on.

'What do they look like?' said Pickersgill, who was up in a moment.

'One is a yacht, and the other may be; but I rather think, as far as I
can judge in the gray, that it is our old friend off here.'

'What! old Appleboy?'

'Yes, it looks like him; but the day has scarcely broke yet.'

'Well, he can do nothing in a light wind like this; and before the wind
we can show him our heels; but are you sure the other is a yacht?' said
Pickersgill, coming on deck.

'Yes; the