ned to
its owner, with every article in it as religiously respected as if they
were church property. With respect to you, and the other ladies on
board, I pledge you my honour that you have nothing to fear; that you
shall be treated with every respect; your privacy never invaded; and
that, in a few days, you will be restored to your friends. Young lady,
I pledge my hopes of future salvation to the truth of this; but, at the
same time, I must make a few conditions, which, however, will not be
very severe."

"But, sir," replied Cecilia, much relieved, for Pickersgill had stood by
her in the most respectful manner, "you are, I presume, the captain of
the smuggler? Pray answer me one question more--What became of the boat
with Lord B---? He is my father."

"I left him in his boat, without a hair of his head touched, young lady;
but I took away the oars."

"Then he will perish!" cried Cecilia, putting her handkerchief to her
eyes.

"No, young lady; he is on shore, probably, by this time. Although I
took away his means of assisting to capture us, I left him the means of
gaining the land. It is not every one who would have done that, after
his conduct to us."

"I begged him not to go," said Cecilia; "I told him that it was not
fair, and that he had no quarrel with the smugglers."

"I thank you even for that," replied Pickersgill. "And now, miss--I
have not the pleasure of recollecting his lordship's family name--"

"Ossulton, sir," cried Cecilia, looking at Pickersgill with surprise.

"Then with your permission, Miss Ossulton, I will now make you my
confidant: excuse my using so free a term, but it is because I wish to
relieve your fears. At the same time, I cannot permit you to divulge
all my intentions to the whole party on board. I feel that I may trust
you, for you have courage, and where there is courage there generally is
truth; but you must first tell me whether you will condescend to accept
these terms?"

Cecilia demurred a moment; the idea of being the confidant of a smuggler
rather startled her: but still, her knowledge of what his intentions
were, if she might not reveal them, might be important; as, perhaps, she
might dissuade him. She could be in no worse position than she was now,
and she might be in a much better. The conduct of Pickersgill had been
such, up to the present, as to inspire confidence; and, although he
defied the laws, he appeared to regard the courtesies of life. Cecilia
wa