board.

"You wouldn't have done it, if it had not been for the frigate," the
skipper said.

"No; I will say your craft sails like a witch," the officer replied. "I
wish we could have done it without her. It will make all the difference
to us. The frigate will get the lion's share of the prize. What is the
value of your cargo?"

"Two hundred kegs of brandy," the skipper replied, "and fifteen hundred
pounds' worth of lace and silks."

"A good prize," the officer said. "Not your own, I hope, for you have
made a brave chase of it."

"No," the skipper answered. "Fortunately, I only took a very small
share this time. It's bad enough to lose my boat; I own two-thirds of
her."

"I am sorry for you," the officer said, for he was in high spirits at
the success of the chase, and could afford to be pleasant. "Here comes
a boat from the frigate. You played them a rare trick, and might have
got off, if it hadn't been for that lucky shot of ours.

"I see you were just getting out a stern chaser," and he pointed to the
gun. "It is well for you that you didn't fire it, as you can't be
charged with armed resistance."

"I wish I had fired it, for all that. It might have been my luck to
cripple you."

"It would have made no difference if you had," the officer replied.
"The frigate would have overhauled you. With this wind she would sail
five feet to your four."

The boat from the frigate now came alongside.

"How are you, Cotterel?" the officer said, as he stepped on board.
"That was a lucky shot of yours; but I think it's lucky for the lugger
that you hit her, for the captain was so savage, at that trick they
played him, that I believe he would have sunk her when he came up to
her again. I heard him say to the first lieutenant, 'I won't give her a
chance to play me such a trick again.'"

"What orders have you brought?" the other asked.

"We are outward bound, so you are to put a crew on board and take her
into port; but, as we are very short of hands, we will relieve you of
the prisoners."

All on board the lugger were at once ordered into the frigate's boat,
and were rowed off to the ship. On gaining the deck, they were drawn up
in line, and the captain and first lieutenant came up. The good humour
of the former had been restored by the capture of the lugger.

"Hallo!" he said, looking at the bandaged heads and arms of some of the
men, "so you have been having a fight trying to run your cargo, I
suppose. That will ma