this and
thinks of his mother's tears who cannot imagine the scene far more
vividly than I can describe it. For the long mourned ones had returned,
as if by a miracle, and all was happiness once more.

That night it was announced that the cutter had gone east, with the
schooner close astern; and three days later she was off the Crag, Vince
and Mike being ready to meet the lieutenant when he landed and to act as
guides.

The officer of the cutter was for making them show the way into the
caverns by sea; but on hearing more he had his men furnished with all
the picks and bars that could be provided, and then, with an ample
supply of lanthorns, the entrance to the dark passage was sought, Sir
Francis and the Doctor being quite as eager to see the place as the
sailors.

Half-way through it was found to be blocked; but a pound of powder well
placed and provided with a slow match was left to explode, and as soon
as the foul air had cleared away the place was found practicable, and
the party descended to find enough cargo left to well lade the cutter.

But the men did not hurry themselves, nor the officers neither; for they
found the hospitality at the Mount or at the Doctor's very agreeable.

At last, though, the cutter sailed, but not before an attempt had been
made to enter the smugglers' dock; only it was given up as being too
risky for His Majesty's Revenue cutter.

Previous to going, the lieutenant, who had become a great friend of the
boys, said a few words which afterwards bore fruit. They were these:--

"I say, my lads, why don't you two chaps go to sea? You'd make splendid
middies."

They did; but it was not till a year after the announcement which came
to the Crag that the two boys' names were down as sharers in the prize
money distributed to the officers and men of the cutter.

"And it does seem rum, Ladle," said Vince, as they lay on the
thyme-scented grass, looking out to sea, and occasionally letting their
eyes wander towards the great bluff which hid away the Scraw.

"What seems rum?" said Mike wonderingly.

"That we should get a share in poor old Jacques' treasures after all. I
wonder what has become of him."

They heard at last that, by the help of one of his men, who had acted as
cook on board the lugger, he had escaped to France; and two years later,
when they were growing men, they caught sight of old Daygo in Plymouth
town, but the old man managed to avoid them, and, for reasons which t