he coper?' Charlie asked the lieutenant,
as they were watching the land coming nearer and nearer.

'I discovered her yesterday, but could not get close to her while she
was in British waters. I saw that the chances of catching her were
against me, so did not make the attempt. At night I went out to sea with
covered lights, and kept my eye on her. Just before daybreak she went
back into British waters, and I followed her. When there was light
enough for her to see me, she fancied, as I intended she should, that I
was a fishing-boat returning to Grimsby. While she had two trawlers'
boats alongside I made for her. Then she guessed who I was, and tried
to escape, but when I sent a shot across her bows she lay to, and the
skipper demanded to know what I meant. I soon told him.'

'I fancy,' Charlie said, 'that the coper skipper is an old hand at the
game.'

'I am certain of it,' the revenue officer replied, 'and that makes me
all the more pleased. Now, I must be off.'

With that he went on deck, and Charlie and Ping Wang followed him. They
were now in the Humber, creating some excitement among the vessels in
the river. All hands mustered on every ship to see the coper, and
frequently, when the nature of the boat was known, loud cheers were
given for the captor.

The news of the capture had reached Grimsby before the two boats
arrived, and, consequently, there was a large crowd waiting to see the
prisoners brought in. Among the people was the former cook of the
_Sparrow-hawk_, whose astonishment at beholding Charlie and Ping Wang on
a revenue cutter highly amused his two acquaintances. Charlie nodded to
him, but there was no opportunity to settle up with him just then, as
the prisoners were immediately marched off to the magistrate.

To the revenue officials' surprise, the coper skipper pleaded guilty to
selling spirits and tobacco in British waters. He did so because, seeing
Charlie and Ping Wang in court, he knew that they would give evidence
against him. On his pleading guilty, the stock-in-trade, together with
the stolen property which he had purchased, was confiscated. As Charlie
and Ping Wang came out of the court they found the bow-legged cook
waiting for them, anxious to get the balance of money due to him from
Charlie, and also to hear how he had fared on the _Sparrow-hawk_. They
went to the Fisherman's Home, and there the cook was paid.

Charlie then related, in as few words as possible, all that had happened