a brother officer he
felt himself bound in duty to put up with his visitor's impertinences,
and accordingly he said very little that was resentful.

The men rowed on steadily, and as my father grew more reserved in his
answers the officer turned to Bob Chowne.

"So you were there when the cargo was landed, were you?" he said.

"Yes," replied Bob coolly.

"Yes, _sir_," said the lieutenant sharply, "recollect that you are
addressing an officer."

"Doctors don't say _sir_ to everybody they meet," retorted Bob quickly.

"Doctors?"

"Well, my father's a doctor, and I'm going to be one, so it's all the
same. I can make pills."

The lieutenant frowned and looked terribly fierce; but his men had burst
into a hearty laugh at the idea of Bob making pills, so he turned it off
with a contemptuous "Pooh!"

"Well," he said, "how came you to be there when the cargo was landed?"

"Thought you knew," said Bob; "we were shut in by the tide. Our boat
had drifted away."

"You three boys?"

"Yes, and Captain Duncan," replied Bob.

"And what did the smuggler say to you?" said the lieutenant, turning
sharply on me.

"Say to us, _sir_?" I replied.

"Yes, answer quickly, and don't repeat my words."

"I didn't know smugglers spoke to people they could not see. Hasn't my
father told you that we were in hiding?"

The lieutenant was about to say something angry; but we were coming
alongside of the bay, and my father stood up, very unwillingly as I
could see by his manner, and guided the men so that they might avoid the
rocks.

"I suppose we could almost run the cutter in here, Captain Duncan, eh?"

"Oh, yes, I think so," said my father, "on a very calm day. There is
deep water all along, and a way could be found with ease."

"Such as the lugger people knew, of course. Steady, my lads, steady;
that's it, on that wave."

The men followed his instructions, and the boat was beached pretty close
to the entrance to one cavern, the water being high, and we all jumped
out.

"Get the lantern!" cried the lieutenant; "and light it now, coxswain."

This was done, and two men being left in charge, the officer gave the
order, swords were drawn, and he led the way in.

As he reached the mouth he placed two men as sentries at the entrance of
the other hole where the water rained down, and turned to my father.

"You need not enter unless you like, captain. We may have a brush, for
some of the scoundrels are perhaps still here