ompanionship on
board of a vessel, cooped up together, and having no one else to
converse with, will produce intimacy; and Pickersgill was a young man of
so much originality and information, that he was listened to with
pleasure. He never attempted to advance beyond the line of strict
decorum and politeness; and his companion was equally unpresuming.
Situated as they were, and feeling what must have been the case had they
fallen into other hands, both Cecilia and Mrs Lascelles felt some degree
of gratitude towards him; and, although anxious to be relieved from so
strange a position, they had gradually acquired a perfect confidence in
him, and this had produced a degree of familiarity, on their parts,
although never ventured upon by the smuggler. As Corbett was at the
table, one of the men came down and made a sign. Corbett shortly after
quitted the table and went on deck. "I wish, my lord, you would come up
a moment, and see if you can make this flag out," said Corbett, giving a
significant nod to Pickersgill. "Excuse me, ladies, one moment," said
Pickersgill, who went on deck.

"It is the boat of the yacht coming on board," said Corbett; "and Lord
B. is in the stern-sheets with the gentleman who was with him."

"And how many men in the boat?--let me see--only four. Well, let his
lordship and his friend come: when they are on the deck, have the men
ready in case of accident; but if you can manage to tell the boat's crew
that they are to go on board again, and get rid of them that way, so
much the better. Arrange this with Adams, and then come down again--his
lordship must see us all at dinner."

Pickersgill then descended, and Corbett had hardly time to give his
directions and to resume his seat, before his lordship and Mr Stewart
pulled up alongside and jumped on deck. There was no one to receive them
but the seamen, and those whom they did not know. They looked round in
amazement; at last his lordship said to Adams, who stood forward,

"What men are you?"

"Belong to the yacht, ye'r honour."

Lord B. heard laughing in the cabin; he would not wait to interrogate
the men; he walked aft, followed by Mr Stewart, looked down the
skylight, and perceived his daughter and Mrs Lascelles with, as he
supposed, Hautaine and Ossulton.

Pickersgill had heard the boat rub the side, and the sound of the feet
on deck, and he talked the more loudly, that the ladies might be caught
by Lord B. as they were. He heard their feet at