while taking them with us. Pass them along ready to run them over the
bows, that they may not see us and swear to it. But we have a good half
hour, and more."

"Ay, and you may hold all fast if you choose," said Morrison, "although
it's better to be on the right side and get ready; otherwise, before
half an hour, I'll swear that we are out of their sight. Look there,"
said he, pointing to the eastward at a heavy bank, "it's coming right
down upon us, as I said it would."

"True enough; but still there is no saying which will come first,
Morrison; the boats or the fog, so we must be prepared."

"Hilloa! what's this? why, there's a boat coming from the yacht!"

Pickersgill took out his glass.

"Yes, and the yacht's own boat, with the name painted on her bows. Well,
let them come--we will have no ceremony in resisting them; they are not
in the Act of Parliament, and must take the consequences. We have nought
to fear. Get stretchers, my lads, and hand-spikes; they row six oars,
and are three in the stern sheets--they must be good men if they take
us."

In a few minutes Lord B. was close to the smuggler.

"Boat, ahoy! what do you want?"

"Surrender in the king's name."

"To what, and to whom, and what are we to surrender? We are an English
vessel coasting along shore."

"Pull on board, my lads," cried Stewart; "I am a king's officer--we know
her."

The boat darted alongside, and Stewart and Lord B., followed by the men,
jumped on the deck.

"Well, gentlemen, what do you want?" said Pickersgill.

"We seize you--you are a smuggler; there's no denying it: look at the
casks of spirits stretched along the deck."

"We never said that we were not smugglers," replied Pickersgill; "but
what is that to you? You are not a king's ship, or employed by the
revenue."

"No, but we carry a pendant, and it is our duty to protect the laws."

"And who are you?" said Pickersgill.

"I am Lord B."

"Then, my lord, allow me to say that you would do much better to attend
to the framing of laws, and leave people of less consequence, like those
astern of me, to execute them. 'Mind your own business,' is an old
adage. We shall not hurt you, my lord, as you have only employed words,
but we shall put it out of your power to hurt us. Come aft, my lads.
Now, my lord, resistance is useless; we are double your numbers, and you
have caught a Tartar."

Lord B. and Mr Stewart perceived that they were in an awkward
predicament.

"You