"will you give me your word of honour as an officer and a gentleman
that my brother officer is not concealed about your premises?"

"Certainly," said the captain. "I give you my word of honour that he is
not; and I add to it that I have never had any dealings with the
smugglers."

"That is enough, sir. Now, will you tell me where we are to find their
hiding-places, for they must have some stowages for the goods they run."

"I assure you, sir, that I have not the slightest knowledge of any such
places. I have often suspected the existence of a cave or caves.
Aleck, my boy, do you know of any?"

Aleck turned sharply to speak, and as he did so he caught the gardener's
eyes fixed upon him with a peculiar glare that might have been
threatening or imploring, the lad could not tell which; but he spoke out
frankly at once:

"No, uncle. I've often wondered whether there was a smuggler's cave,
but I never found one."

"Humph! That seems strange," said the officer. "You have a boat?"

"Yes, I have a boat."

"And go coasting and fishing about close in. Do you mean to tell me you
never found anything of the kind?"

"Yes."

"And you never saw a cargo being landed--I mean a cargo of smuggled
goods?"

"Never," said Aleck.

"Then you must have been very unobservant, young gentleman. I presume
that you have seen smugglers about here?"

Aleck's face lit up, and he once more caught Ness's eyes fixed upon him
as he spoke.

"Oh, yes," he said; "several."

"And you could direct us to their cottages?"

"I could," said Aleck, "but I'm not going to."

"Well done, Master Aleck!" shouted the gardener.

"Silence, sir," said the captain, sternly. "Go on, Aleck."

"I've no more to say, uncle," replied the lad, "only that I'm not going
to lead people to take and press men by force for sailors. Besides, the
lieutenant does not need showing--he has been to the men's cottages, and
taken some of them."

"To be sure," said the officer, good-humouredly; "and I don't want to be
hard on you. It is not the thing to ask a gentleman to do. But please
understand, sir, that I am not seeking for men to press now, but to find
my brother officer who is missing. Can you help me in that?"

"I'm afraid I can't," said Aleck, frankly; "but I will do all I can."

"Thank you; that's right," said the officer. "Come, Captain Lawrence,
we are making some progress after all."

"I'm glad of it, sir," replied the captain; "but, tell me