delight to my heart. Since then, the fairest fields are to me no
better than a bare muir, and I have only thee, my love--only my Fanny,
to comfort me. So, thou wilt not cry now--thou wilt not distress thy
father, wilt thou? No, no! I know thou wilt not. I shall be back to
thee to-morrow, love."

More passed between the smuggler and his daughter--words of
remonstrance, of tenderness, and assurance; and when he had left her,
he again went to the beach, to where his boat had just landed from the
night's fishing. None of the other boats had yet arrived. As he
approached, the crew said they "saw by his face there was something
unpleasant in the wind," and others added--

"Something's vexed Skipper Harry this morning, and that's a shame, for
a better soul never lived."

"Well, mates," said he, as he approached them, "have you seen a shark
cruising off the coast this morning?"

"No," was the reply.

"But I have," said Harry, "though she is making off to keep out of
sight now; and, more than that, I have seen a cut-throat lubber that I
would not set my foot upon--I mean the old Beelzebub imp, with the
white and yellow stripe on his yawl, pull from her side. And what was
he doing there? Was it not telling them to look out for the lugger?"

Some of the boat's crew uttered sudden and bitter imprecations.

"Let us go and sink the old rascal before he reach the shore," said
one.

"With all my heart," cried another; for they were all interested in
the landing of the lugger, and in the excitement of the moment they
wist not what they said.

"Softly, softly, my lads," returned Harry; "we must think now what we
can do for the cargo and ourselves, and not of him."

"Right, master," replied another; "that is what I am thinking."

"Now, look ye," continued Harry, "I believe we shall have a squall
before night, and a pretty sharp one, too; but we mustn't mind that
when our fortunes are at stake. Hang all black-hearted knaves that
would peach on a neighbour, say I; but it is done in our case, and we
must only do our best to make the rascal's story stick in his throat,
or be the same as if it had; and I think it may be done yet. I know,
but the peachers can't, that the lugger is to deliver a few score kegs
at Blyth before she run down here. We must off and meet her, and give
warning."

"Ay, ay, Master Teasdale, thou'rt right; but, now that the thing has
got wind, the sharks will keep a hawk's eye on us, and how we are to
do i