to leeward when the west wind comes to-morrow; Sir
Frederick has followed famously clear of the land, and won't be in a
much better box. Now, this lugger must be pretty picking if all they
say of her be true. Ten to one but she has gold in her. These corsairs
are desperate rogues after the siller, and, taking hull, sails,
armament, head-money, and the scrapings of the lockers together, I
shouldn't marvel if she come to something as good as L8,000 or L10,000.
This would be fair dividing for a sloop, but would amount to a painfully
small trifle, as between the officers of three ships, after deducting
the admiral's share. What are you thinking of, Airchy?"

"Of just that, Captain Lyon. It would be dividing every lieutenant's
share by three, as well as every captain's."

"That's it, Airchy, and so ye'll have a shairp lookout on deck. There'll
be no occasion to run down quite as far as Captain Cuffe suggested,
ye'll obsairve; for, if in the bay, the lugger will work her way up
toward this headland, and we'll be all the more likely to fall in with
her, by keeping near it ourselves. Ye'll take the idea?"

"It's plain enou', Captain Lyon; and I'll be obsairving it. How is the
law understood as respects dairkness? I understand that none share but
such as are in _sight_; but is dairkness deemed a legal impediment?"

"To be sure it is; the idea being that all who can see may act. Now, if
we catch the lugger before Captain Cuffe and Sir Frederick even know
where she is, on what principle can they aid and sustain us in
the capture?"

"And you wish a shairp lookout the night, Captain Lyon?"

"That's just it, Airchy. Ye'll all be doing your best in the way of
eyes, and we may get the lugger alone. 'Twould be such a pity, Mr.
McBean, to divide by three, when the sums might be kept entire!"

Such was the state of feeling with which each of these three officers
entered on his present duty. Cuffe was earnest in the wish to catch his
enemy, and this principally for the credit of the thing, though a little
out of a desire to revenge his own losses; Sir Frederick Dashwood,
indifferent to all but his own pleasures; and Lyon, closely attentive to
the main chance. An hour or two later, or just before Cuffe turned in,
he sent a message to request the presence of his first lieutenant, if
the latter were still up. Winchester was writing up his private journal;
closing the book, he obeyed the order in that quiet, submissive manner
which a f