y, and
wait till the yacht returns with Lord B. I don't like these jokes; they
may do very well for widows, and people of no rank.'

Now Mrs. Lascelles was sorry to find Miss Ossulton so much at her ease.
She owed her no little spite, and wished for revenge. Ladies will go
very far to obtain this. How far Mrs. Lascelles would have gone, I will
not pretend to say; but this is certain, that the last innuendo of Miss
Ossulton very much added to her determination. She took her bonnet and
went on deck, at once told Pickersgill that he could not please her or
Cecilia more than by frightening Miss Ossulton, who, under the idea that
it was all a hoax, had quite recovered her spirits; talked of her pride
and ill-nature, and wished her to receive a useful lesson. Thus, to
follow up her revenge, did Mrs. Lascelles commit herself so far as to be
confidential with the smuggler in return.

'Mrs. Lascelles, I shall be able to obey you, and, at the same time, to
combine business with pleasure.'

After a short conversation, the yacht dropped her anchor at Torquay. It
was then about two hours before sunset. As soon as the sails were
furled, one or two gentlemen, who resided there, came on board to pay
their respects to Lord B.; and, as Pickersgill had found out from
Cecilia that her father was acquainted with no one there, he received
them in person; asked them down into the cabin--called for wine--and
desired them to send their boat away, as his own was going on shore. The
smugglers took great care that the steward, cook, and lady's-maid should
have no communication with the guests; one of them, by Corbett's
direction, being a sentinel over each individual. The gentlemen remained
about half an hour on board, during which Corbett and the smugglers had
filled the portmanteaus found in the cabin with the lace, and they were
put in the boat; Corbett then landed the gentlemen in the same boat, and
went up to the hotel, the smugglers following him with the portmanteaus,
without any suspicion or interruption. As soon as he was there, he
ordered post-horses, and set off for a town close by, where he had
correspondents; and thus the major part of the cargo was secured.
Corbett then returned in the night, bringing with him people to receive
the goods; and the smugglers landed the silks, teas, etc., with the same
good fortune. Everything was out of the yacht except a portion of the
lace, which the portmanteaus would not hold. Pickersgill might e