stood in a group, and we saw him spring
into the gig; but all at once he leapt out again and walked swiftly to
us.

"Here," he said authoritatively, as if he had forgotten something, and
he pointed to the cottage. "Whose house is that?"

"Mine," said my father promptly.

The lieutenant looked disappointed, and turned sharply back again.

"It is my house," said my father as soon as the officer was out of
hearing, and as if speaking to himself. "If he had said, `who lives
there?' it would have been a different thing. He would have burnt and
destroyed everything."

We stood watching the gig as the lieutenant returned and it was pushed
off. It was not long reaching the cutter, whose sails were hoisted
rapidly, and, filling as they were sheeted home, the graceful vessel
began to glide away from the shore, and soon afterwards was careening
over and heading for the west in pursuit of the lugger or luggers,
whichever it might be.

"There, my lads," said my father, "you may go and look for your
companion. He can come down safely now."

"Will the cutter come back, father?" I said.

"I daresay it will, to see if Uggleston's lugger returns; but I don't
think the lugger will, and certainly Uggleston will not dare to return
here to live for some time to come."

"Then what's to become of Bigley?" cried Bob Chowne.

"His father must settle that, my lad."

"But till he does, father?" I said. "Will he stay here?"

"Certainly, my boy. Why not? His father rents the cottage, and his son
has a perfect right there."

"You will not turn him out, then, because his father is a smuggler?"

"I always try to be a just man, Sep," replied my father quietly.

"Ahoy!" came from high up over our heads, and, looking up there, we
could see Bigley standing on the highest part of the headland waving his
cap.

"Come down!" shouted Bob and I in a breath, and he heard us, gave his
cap another wave, and disappeared.

He was not long in scrambling down to us, my father stopping till he
came up looking very much abashed.

"Well, sir," said my father sternly. "What have you to say for yourself
for striking one of his majesty's officers?"

Bigley's manner changed directly, his face flushed and he set his teeth
as he raised his head boldly.

"He called my father a dog and a thief," cried Bigley fiercely, "and--
and--I don't want to offend you, Captain Duncan, but I couldn't stand by
and hear him without doing something."

"And