of them here."

"No, the Champion didn't have a thing in her," said a third. "She
passed so close to my boat, that I could have jumped into her, and I
took particular pains to see that she was empty."

"Well, here are the things that I brought, at any rate," said Charles,
who had just caught sight of the bag which contained, as he supposed,
his lemons. "My goodness!" he continued, as he lifted them out of the
boat, "how heavy they are!"

And he began to untie the bag, and soon disclosed to the view of the
coast-guards, not the lemons, but almost half a peck of smooth, round
stones.

George and Harry, who could contain themselves no longer, rolled on
the bottom of the boat, convulsed with laughter; and several ready
hands tore off the coverings of the baskets and pails, and they were
found to be empty.

A more astonished set of boys one never saw; and, as soon as they
could speak, they burst out with a volley of ejaculations that will
hardly bear repetition.

"We've been chasing the wrong boat," said one.

"Yes," answered another, "and I knew it would be so. That Frank
Nelson is too much of a Yankee for us."

"The Speedwell--the Speedwell!" shouted another; "keep a good look-out
for her."

"Oh, you're too late," said Harry, with a laugh, "the provisions were
landed long ago."

"I don't believe it. I didn't see any thing of her."

"Of course you didn't," said Charles; "you were too intent on catching
the Alert. Boys," he continued, "we're fairly beaten. Let's start for
the island."

The coast-guards silently obeyed, and the smugglers refrained from
making any remarks, for they saw that the squadron's crew took their
defeat sorely to heart.

In a few moments the little fleet rounded the foot of the island, and
the boys discovered the Champion and Speedwell, lying with their bows
high upon the sand, and their crews were busy carrying the provisions
under the shade of a large oak, that stood near the water's edge.

As soon as the last vessel came in sight, the smugglers on shore
greeted them with three hearty cheers, which George and Harry answered
with a will, but the coast-guards remained silent.

In a few moments they had all landed, and the smugglers joined their
companions; and Charles took off his hat, and said to the
coast-guards,

"Boys, I want to have just one word with you. We have been beaten," he
continued, as they gathered silently about him, "completely outwitted;
but it was fairly done.