icking us; and while we are going one way they'll run a
cargo in another direction."

The men dared not murmur, but they grumbled in silence.

"Give up your arms again, my men," said the lieutenant, "and we'll be
watchful where we are. I'm tired of being tricked."

The men were unwillingly giving up their weapons when, as Billy Waters
put it, the wind veered round again.

"Serve out the arms, my man! Now then, be smart! Tumble into the
boats!"

For fear their commander should change his mind again the men did
literally tumble into the boats, and, giving the boatswain charge of the
vessel and putting the gunner in charge of the smaller boat, the
lieutenant descended into the other, gave orders that not a word should
be spoken, and they pushed off into the black night.

"When we land," whispered the lieutenant, "two men are to stop in the
boats and keep off a dozen or so yards from the shore. No getting them
stove-in, or--"

He did not finish his sentence, and in its mutilated form it was passed
to the other boat, which was close behind.

For the first part of the distance they rowed pretty swiftly, but when
they were about halfway the lieutenant slackened speed, and, after
nearly running into them, the second followed the example, and they went
softly on.

It seemed to grow darker and darker, and but for the fact that they
could hear the wash of the water upon the shore, and see the lights of
the cutter, it would have been impossible to tell which way to go. They
steered, however, straight for the land, every ear being attent, and the
men so anxious to make the present expedition a success that their oars
dipped without a sound.

All at once, as it seemed to them, they could hear something above the
soft wash of the water that made every man's heart beat, and roused the
lieutenant to an intense state of excitement. For, plainly enough,
there came from out of the pitchy darkness right ahead the tramp of feet
hurrying to and fro across the sands, and there could be only one
interpretation of such a sound, namely, the fact that a party of men
were unloading a boat.

The lieutenant ordered his men to wait so that the second boat might
come up alongside, and then they advanced together in perfect silence,
with the keenest-eyed men in the bows, ready to signal by touch if they
saw anything ahead.

The sound was still going on upon the beach, and the people were
evidently very busy, when, at the same momen