what man would do without it."

"Quite as well as woman does, I should think," replied Minnie.

"I'm not so sure of that, lass. It's more nat'ral for man to smoke than
for woman. Ye see, woman, lovely woman, should be `all my fancy painted
her, both lovely and divine.' It would never do to have baccy perfumes
hangin' about her rosy lips."

"But, uncle, why should man have the disagreeable perfumes you speak of
hanging about _his_ lips?"

"I don't know, lass. It's all a matter o' feeling. `'Twere vain to
tell thee all I feel, how much my heart would wish to say;' but of this
I'm certain sure, that I'd never git along without my pipe. It's like
compass, helm, and ballast all in one. Is that the moon, leftenant?"

The captain pointed to a faint gleam of light on the horizon, which he
knew well enough to be the moon; but he wished to change the subject.

"Ay is it, and there comes a boat. Steady, men! lay on your oars a
bit."

This was said earnestly. In one instant all were silent, and the boat
lay as motionless as the shadows of the cliffs among which it was
involved.

Presently the sound of oars was heard. Almost at the same moment, the
upper edge of the moon rose above the horizon, and covered the sea with
rippling silver. Ere long a boat shot into this stream of light, and
rowed swiftly in the direction of Arbroath.

"There are only two men in it," whispered the lieutenant.

"Ay, these are my good friends Swankie and Spink, who know a deal more
about other improper callings besides smuggling, if I did not greatly
mistake their words," cried Ruby.

"Give way, lads!" cried the lieutenant.

The boat sprang at the word from her position under the cliffs, and was
soon out upon the sea in full chase of the smugglers, who bent to their
oars more lustily, evidently intending to trust to their speed.

"Strange," said the lieutenant, as the distance between the two began
sensibly to decrease, "if these be smugglers, with an empty boat, as you
lead me to suppose they are, they would only be too glad to stop and let
us see that they had nothing aboard that we could touch. It leads me to
think that you are mistaken, Ruby Brand, and that these are not your
friends."

"Nay, the same fact convinces me that they are the very men we seek; for
they said they meant to have some game with you, and what more amusing
than to give you a long, hard chase for nothing?"

"True; you are right. Well, we will turn th