ut
what is that to you? You are not a king's ship, or employed by the
revenue.'

'No; but we carry a pendant, and it is our duty to protect the laws.'

'And who are you?' said Pickersgill.

'I am Lord B.'

'Then, my lord, allow me to say that you would do much better to attend
to the framing of laws, and leave people of less consequence, like those
astern of me, to execute them. "Mind your own business" is an old
adage. We shall not hurt you, my lord, as you have only employed words,
but we shall put it out of your power to hurt us. Come aft, my lads.
Now, my lord, resistance is useless; we are double your numbers, and you
have caught a Tartar.'

[Illustration: _'Well, gentlemen, what do you want?' said
Pickersgill._]

Lord B. and Mr. Stewart perceived that they were in an awkward
predicament.

'You may do what you please,' observed Mr. Stewart, 'but the revenue
boats are coming up, recollect.'

'Look you, sir, do you see the revenue cutter?' said Pickersgill.

Stewart looked in that direction, and saw that she was hidden in the
fog.

'In five minutes, sir, the boats will be out of sight also, and so will
your vessel; we have nothing to fear from them.'

'Indeed, my lord, we had better return,' said Mr. Stewart, who perceived
that Pickersgill was right.

'I beg your pardon, you will not go on board your yacht so soon as you
expect. Take the oars out of the boat, my lads, two or three of you, and
throw in a couple of our paddles for them to reach the shore with. The
rest of you knock down the first man who offers to resist. You are not
aware, perhaps, my lord, that you have attempted _piracy_ on the high
seas?'

Stewart looked at Lord B. It was true enough. The men of the yacht could
offer no resistance; the oars were taken out of the boat and the men put
in again.

'My lord,' said Pickersgill, 'your boat is manned, do me the favour to
step into it; and you, sir, do the same. I should be sorry to lay my
hands upon a peer of the realm, or a king's officer even on half-pay.'

Remonstrance was vain; his lordship was led to the boat by two of the
smugglers, and Stewart followed.

'I will leave your oars, my lord, at the Weymouth Custom-house, and I
trust this will be a lesson to you in future to "mind your own
business."'

The boat was shoved off from the sloop by the smugglers, and was soon
lost sight of in the fog, which had now covered the revenue boats as
well as the yacht, at the same time it br