e tables on them. Take the
helm for a minute, while I tap one of the kegs."

The tapping was soon accomplished, and a quantity of the spirit was
drawn off into the captain's pocket-flask.

"Taste it, captain, and let's have your opinion." Captain Ogilvy
complied. He put the flask to his lips, and, on removing it, smacked
them, and looked at the party with that extremely grave, almost solemn
expression, which is usually assumed by a man when strong liquid is
being put to the delicate test of his palate.

"Oh!" exclaimed the captain, opening his eyes very wide indeed.

What "oh" meant, was rather doubtful at first; but when the captain put
the flask again to his lips, and took another pull, a good deal longer
than the first, much, if not all of the doubt was removed.

"Prime! nectar!" he murmured, in a species of subdued ecstasy, at the
end of the second draught.

"Evidently the right stuff," said Lindsay, laughing.

"Liquid streams--celestial nectar,
Darted through the ambient sky,--"

Said the captain; "liquid, ay, liquid is the word."

He was about to test the liquid again:--

"Stop! stop! fair play, captain; it's my turn now," cried the
lieutenant, snatching the flask from his friend's grasp, and applying it
to his own lips.

Both the lieutenant and Ruby pronounced the gin perfect, and as Minnie
positively refused either to taste or to pronounce judgment, the flask
was returned to its owner's pocket.

They were now close on the smugglers, whom they hailed, and commanded to
lay on their oars.

The order was at once obeyed, and the boats were speedily rubbing sides
together.

"I should like to examine your boat, friends," said the lieutenant as he
stepped across the gunwales.

"Oh! sir, I'm thankfu' to find you're not smugglers," said Swankie, with
an assumed air of mingled respect and alarm.

"If we'd only know'd ye was preventives we'd ha' backed oars at once.
There's nothin' here; ye may seek as long's ye please."

The hypocritical rascal winked slyly to his comrade as he said this.
Meanwhile Lindsay and one of the men examined the contents of the boat,
and, finding nothing contraband, the former said--

"So, you're honest men, I find. Fishermen, doubtless?"

"Ay, some o' yer crew ken us brawly," said Davy Spink with a grin.

"Well, I won't detain you," rejoined the lieutenant; "it's quite a
pleasure to chase honest men on the high seas in these times of war and
smuggling. But it's