e managed to miss her, and she managed to land every
tub. We understand that there has not been such a run for years,'
observed the coast-guard officer.

"Something made our commander fancy that she might have been the very
craft we spoke, and which had been so ready with information.

"`A cutter of about fifty tons, with her bulwarks painted yellow
inside?' he asked.

"`The very same,' answered the lieutenant. `That cunning rascal, Dick
Johnstone, was on board of her himself. Hearing that we were on the
look-out for his craft, the _Seagull_, he shifted his cargo into her.'

"`Then we were cleverly done!' exclaimed our commander, stamping his
foot with vexation. `The very fellow old Futlock thought looked so
honest that he would not take the trouble to board him. It is the very
last time in my life that I will trust to outside appearances.'

"All hands of us aboard the cutter felt very foolish when we found that
we had lost so good a chance of taking one of the richest prizes we were
ever likely to fall in with. However, revenue officers must have all
their seven senses wide awake to compass the artful dodges of determined
smugglers. After that, we took very good care to be smart about
boarding every vessel we fell in with."

After the conclusion of this yarn we had several other accounts of
smugglers and their daring deeds. Some even, it was asserted, had
ventured to defend themselves against king's ships, and had fought
severe actions, one or two having gone down with their colours flying
rather than surrender. On one point all were agreed, that no smugglers
had ever become permanently wealthy men. As my uncle observed, they
take a great deal of trouble and undergo great risk to obtain a very
uncertain advantage.

All the rest of the guests were gone; old Jerry remained behind. We
told him what had occurred in the morning, and I asked him if he could
find out anything about Charley Iffley; what was his rank, and to what
ship he belonged. I begged him, if he could find him, to take a message
to him from me, and to assure him that far from bearing him any
ill-will, I would gladly welcome him as an old friend.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

OLD JERRY'S REPORT OF IFFLEY--FEARS OF THE PRESSGANG--RESOLVE TO GO
INLAND--COMMENCE OUR JOURNEY--SEIZED BY MEN-OF-WAR'S MEN--IFFLEY'S
TREACHERY--FIND MYSELF ABOARD A MAN-OF-WAR BOUND FOR INDIA--IFFLEY'S
CONDUCT--A GALE--FALL OVERBOARD--SAVED--PUNISHMENT ABOARD--ACCUSED O