thout interference. The captain tells me he is making for
a point on the Dorsetshire coast, and that he is expected. Of course
he could not say the exact day he would be here. But he told them
the day on which, if he could get his cargo on board, he should
sail, and they will be looking out for him."

Before sunset the English coast was visible.

"We could not have timed it better," the captain said. "It will be
getting dark before they can make us out even from the cliffs."

Every sail was now scrutinized by the captain through his glass,
but he saw nothing that looked suspicious. At nine o'clock in the
evening the lugger was within three miles of the coast.

"Get ready the signal lanterns," the captain ordered. And a few
minutes later three lanterns were hoisted, one above the other.
Almost immediately two lights were shown in a line on top of the
cliff.

"There is our answer," the captain said. "There is nothing to be
done to-night. That means 'The revenue men are on the look-out;
come back to-morrow night."'

"But they are always on the look-out, are they not?" Harry asked.

"Yes," the captain said; "but when our friends on shore know we are
coming they try to throw them off the scent. It will be whispered
about to-morrow that a run is likely to be made ten miles along
the coast, and they will take care that this comes to the ears of
the revenue officer. Then to-morrow evening after dusk a fishing-boat
will go out and show some lights two miles off shore at the point
named, and a rocket will be sent up from the cliff. That will
convince them that the news is true, and the revenue officers will
hurry away in that direction with every man they can get together.
Then we shall run here and land our cargo. There will be plenty of
carts waiting for us, and before the revenue men are back the kegs
will be stowed safely away miles inland. Of course things go wrong
sometimes and the revenue officers are not to be fooled, but in
nine cases out of ten we manage to run our cargoes without a shot
being fired. Now I must get off shore again."

The orders were given, and the Trois Freres was soon running out
to sea. They stood far out and then lowered the sails and drifted
until late in the afternoon, when they again made sail for the
land. At ten o'clock the signal lights were again exhibited, and
this time the answer was made by one light low down by the water's
edge.

"The coast is clear," the captain said, rubbin