may do what you please," observed Mr Stewart, "but the revenue
boats are coming up, recollect."

"Look you, sir, do you see the revenue cutter?" said Pickersgill.

Stewart looked in that direction, and saw that she was hidden in the
fog.

"In five minutes, sir, the boats will be out of sight also, and so will
your vessel; we have nothing to fear from them."

"Indeed, my lord, we had better return," said Mr Stewart, who perceived
that Pickersgill was right.

"I beg your pardon, you will not go on board your yacht so soon as you
expect. Take the oars out of the boat, my lads, two or three of you, and
throw in a couple of our paddles for them to reach the shore with. The
rest of you knock down the first man who offers to resist. You are not
aware, perhaps, my lord, that you have attempted _piracy_ on the high
seas?"

Stewart looked at Lord B. It was true enough. The men of the yacht could
offer no resistance; the oars were taken out of the boat, and the men
put in again.

"My lord," said Pickersgill, "your boat is manned--do me the favour to
step into it; and you, sir, do the same. I should be sorry to lay my
hands upon a peer of the realm, or a king's officer even on half pay."

Remonstrance was vain; his lordship was led to the boat by two of the
smugglers, and Stewart followed.

"I will leave your oars, my lord, at the Weymouth Custom-house; and I
trust this will be a lesson to you in future to 'mind your own
business.'"

The boat was shoved off from the sloop by the smugglers, and was soon
lost sight of in the fog, which had now covered the revenue boats as
well as the yacht; at the same time, it brought down a breeze from the
eastward.

"Haul to the wind, Morrison," said Pickersgill, "we will stand out to
get rid of the boats; if they pull on, they will take it for granted
that we shall run into the bay, as will the revenue cutter."

Pickersgill and Corbett were in conversation abaft for a short time,
when the former desired the course to be altered two points.

"Keep silence all of you, my lads, and let me know if you hear a gun or
a bell from the yacht," said Pickersgill.

"There is a gun, sir, close to us," said one of the men; "the sound was
right ahead."

"That will do, keep her as she goes. Aft here, my lads; we cannot run
our cargo in the bay, for the cutter has been seen to chase us, and they
will all be on the look-out at the preventive stations for us on shore.
Now, my lads, I have made