ntly intending to wait our
coming.

"`What cutter is that?' shouted old Futlock.

"`The _Polly_ of London, bound for Weymouth,' answered a man, who stood
at the taffrail, through a speaking-trumpet. `We hove-to, sir, that we
might tell you we have just run over a large number of tubs away there
to the southward.'

"`Thank you, thank you,' shouted Mr Futlock in return, as we ran by and
were soon out of speaking distance. `I knew that fellow was honest,' he
observed to me, rubbing his hands at the thought of making some
prize-money. `Come, rouse aft the main-sheet. We must haul up a little
again. Can any one see the tubs?'

"There were plenty of busy eyes looking out for the prize, and it was
not long before we discovered them on the weather bow. By keeping our
luff we were quickly up to them.

"The commander was by this time called, and now came a difficulty. With
the heavy sea there was running, it was a work not free from danger to
lower a boat. We first shortened sail; the helm was put down, and the
cutter hove-to, and then, after several attempts by waiting for a lull,
we got the boat with a crew safe in water.

"Mr Futlock jumped into the boat, and pulled towards the tubs which
were first seen, we meantime keeping a bright look-out for any more
which might be floating near.

"Not being accustomed to this sort of work, I felt not a little alarmed
for the safety of my shipmates, as I saw the boat tumbling about among
the white-crested waves.

"Mr Futlock soon got hold of ten tubs, lashed together, and hauled them
into the boat. A little further on he made a prize of ten more. This
was no bad beginning. He was returning with them, having in vain
searched for others, when we made out another collection just ahead of
the cutter. We soon had them all aboard, though the boat was nearly
swamped alongside. We hoisted her in at last, and seeing no more tubs,
let draw the foresail, and again stood on. When at last we looked about
for our communicative friend, he was not visible; but some of the men
said they thought they had seen him standing in for the land.

"We cruised about all the morning in the neighbourhood, but not a tub
more could we discover. Three days after that we dropped our anchor in
Weymouth roads. The commander went on shore to communicate with the
officer of the coast-guard on the station.

"`We were looking out for a cutter with a large cargo the other day, but
somehow or other w