ave no communication with the guests; one of them, by Corbett's
direction, being a sentinel over each individual. The gentlemen
remained about half-an-hour on board, during which Corbett and the
smugglers had filled the portmanteaus found in the cabin with the lace,
and they were put in the boat; Corbett then landed the gentlemen in the
same boat, and went up to the hotel, the smugglers following him with
the portmanteaus, without any suspicion or interruption. As soon as he
was there, he ordered post-horses, and set off for a town close by,
where he had correspondents; and thus the major part of the cargo was
secured. Corbett then returned in the night, bringing with him people
to receive the goods; and the smugglers landed the silks, teas,
etcetera, with the same good fortune. Everything was out of the yacht
except a portion of the lace, which the portmanteaus would not hold.
Pickersgill might easily have sent this on shore; but, to please Mrs
Lascelles, he arranged otherwise.

The next morning, about an hour after breakfast was finished, Mrs
Lascelles entered the cabin pretending to be in the greatest
consternation, and fell on the sofa as if she were going to faint.

"Good heavens! What is the matter?" exclaimed Cecilia, who knew very
well what was coming.

"Oh, the wretch! He has made such proposals!"

"Proposals! What proposals? What! Lord Blaney?" cried Miss Ossulton.

"Oh, he's no lord! He's a villain and a smuggler! And he insists that
we shall both fill our pockets full of lace, and go on shore with him."

"Mercy on me! Then it is no hoax after all; and I've been sitting down
to dinner with a smuggler!"

"Sitting down, madam!--if it were to be no more than that--but we are to
take his arm up to the hotel. Oh dear! Cecilia, I am ordered on deck;
pray, come with me!"

Miss Ossulton rolled on the sofa, and rang for Phoebe; she was in a
state of great alarm.

A knock at the door.

"Come in," said Miss Ossulton, thinking it was Phoebe; when Pickersgill
made his appearance.

"What do you want, sir? Go out, sir! Go out directly, of I'll scream!"

"It is no use screaming, madam; recollect, that all on board are at my
service. You, will oblige me by listening to me, Miss Ossulton. I am,
as you know, a smuggler; and I must send this lace on shore. You will
oblige me by putting, it into your pockets, or about your person, and
prepare to go on shore with me. As soon as we arrive at the ho