having had quite enough of yachting for that season, Mr
Ossulton declaring that he only wanted to get his luggage, and then he
would take care how he put himself again in the way of the shot of a
revenue cruiser, or of sleeping a night on her decks.

In the mean time Morrison and his men were locked up in the jail, the
old man, as the key was turned on him, exclaiming, as he raised his foot
in vexation, "That cursed blue pigeon!"

We will now return to the yacht.

About an hour after Pickersgill had come on board, Corbett had made all
his arrangements and followed him. It was not advisable to remain at
Torquay any longer, through fear of discovery; he, therefore, weighed
the anchor before dinner, and made sail.

"What do you intend to do now, my lord?" said Mrs Lascelles.

"I intend to run down to Cowes, anchor the yacht in the night; and an
hour before daylight have you in my boat with all my men. I will take
care that you are in perfect safety, depend upon it, even if I run a
risk. I should, indeed, be miserable, if, through my wild freaks, any
accident should happen to Mrs Lascelles or Miss Ossulton."

"I am very anxious about my father," observed Cecilia. "I trust that you
will keep your promise."

"I always have hitherto, Miss Ossulton; have I not?"

"Ours is but a short and strange acquaintance."

"I grant it; but it will serve for you to talk about long after. I shall
disappear as suddenly as I have come--you will neither of you, in all
probability, ever see me again."

The dinner was announced, and they sat down to table as before; but the
elderly spinster refused to make her appearance; and Mrs Lascelles and
Cecilia, who thought she had been frightened enough, did not attempt to
force her. Pickersgill immediately yielded to these remonstrances, and,
from that time she remained undisturbed in the ladies' cabin, meditating
over the indignity of having sat down to table, having drank wine, and
been obliged to walk on shore, taking the arm of a smuggler, and appear
in such a humiliating situation.

The wind was light, and they made but little progress, and were not
abreast of Portland till the second day, when another yacht appeared in
sight, and the two vessels slowly neared until in the afternoon they
were within four miles of each other. It then fell a dead calm--signals
were thrown out by the other yacht, but could not be distinguished, and,
for the last time, they sat down to dinner. Three days' c