, and Cockle declared that he had seen a boy handed up the side of
the lugger, and he was nearly certain a baby or little child. The
lugger then hoisted in the boat, and made sail to the southward. As,
however, there had been either a calm, or but a slight breeze ever
since, from the southward, she could not have got far. This seemed to
settle the question. We had now collected enough men to form a crew.
We required arms and authority for boarding the lugger. Edward Grahame
was with us, but though a midshipman, dressed in his uniform, with a
dirk by his side, he could scarcely in his own person answer all our
requirements. He was of course to go, and, to my great satisfaction,
Uncle Boz gave me leave to be of the party, in consideration that it was
my brother who was lost. The rest went back somewhat unwillingly to
attend on Aunt Deborah. In spite of her grief, Aunt Deborah recollected
that we could not live without eating, and had gone home to provide as
large a store of provisions as the house could furnish. The men,
meantime, got some kegs with water, and several loaves of bread and a
cheese. We all ran backwards and forwards bringing the provisions Aunt
Deborah had provided. We were not likely to starve, even though we
might have had a chase of many days before we should overtake the
lugger.

Though we had collected all the weapons to be found, we were not over
well armed. "Never mind, lads," cried Uncle Boz, "we have the boat's
stretchers, stout hearts, and a right cause, and if we can once get
alongside the villains, there's no fear but that we'll win back our
little jewel, and give them some broken heads for the trouble of heart
and body they've caused us."

"Yes, dat we will," echoed Bambo, flourishing a heavy handspike over his
head, with a vehemence which showed that age had not impaired his
vigour. "We will treat dem as we did dem picarooning villains in de
Vest Indies, ven you led de boarders, massa Boz, eh!"

"And you followed close at my side, and saved my life, Bambo," cried
Uncle Boz. "Shove away boys, lift her handsomely, she'll be afloat
directly."

We were running the heavy boat down the beach into the water. Just as
we were about to shove off, who should appear but Lieutenant Kelson, of
the coastguard, with two of his men.

"There's not much chance that he'll ever set the Thames on fire," I
heard Uncle Boz once remark of him, from which I concluded that he was
not a very bright g