d the
craft with their cargo were to have been seized. When she got to
Tarifa the coastguards fired at her. The third lighter was
slipped, boarded by the officials and their men, and taken
behind the Rock, when it was discovered on removing the hatches
that she was laden with stones. The other two parted their
tow-ropes, and were driven through the Gut and captured. These
were laden with tobacco. The stone-laden craft was obviously
intended as a decoy, and but for the heavy gale that came on,
the other two would have succeeded in reaching their
destination."

A few months later, Captain S---- entered Gibraltar Bay, and was
boarded by the chief commissioner of the last enterprise, accompanied
by a friend, who was introduced as being engaged in "our" trade.

"Ah," said the former in genuine Rock-scorpion dialect, "The last was
a great disaster; but it has never been said that you did not do all
that was possible to carry out your contract properly. If there had
been any appearance of not doing so, my friend and I would not have
said that Captain S---- is the very man to carry out our new affair,
which is doubly better than the other."

"Well, shut up about that," said the captain. "Come to the point. What
is it you wish me to do?"

"Ah! capitan, but for the knowledge we have of your ability, and the
affection my friends and myself have for you, we would have hesitated
to show you this token of our much esteem."

"Shut up!" interjected the sailor. "I don't want a display of pretty
nothings. I want business."

"Oh! capitan, why do you say such things when we are so anxious to put
something your way. I tell you there are thousands of men that would
be glad to have your chance. The job we have is this: three feluccas
are lying up in the harbour laden with tobacco. Tonight you must lie
off the town without anchoring, and they will be brought alongside.
You must take the cargo aboard, and proceed off Amonti Pomoron. A
pilot and interpreter will go with you, and you must not go near the
land until darkness comes on, when craft showing signals which the
pilot understands will be there to meet you and have men to tranship
the cargo into lighters. You will have L400 for doing this--half in
cash before leaving, and the other half on arrival at Amonti. The
transaction will be quite straight."

"It seems to me so uncommonly like a huge smuggling affair, that I
cannot entertain it," rep