work before us, it was one to engross all our thoughts.
Even the fish seemed to enjoy it, as we could see them leaping up on
either hand. Many of them must have been big fellows, by the loud
splash they made. On, on we pulled. "If we don't soon come up with
her, it will make our fellows very savage," observed Kelson to Uncle
Boz.

"Yes, we eat 'um," cried out Bambo, who was a privileged joker.

The remark was appreciated by the other men.

"Yes Bambo, a jolly good supper we'll make of them, the waggabonds,"
sung out one of the other men.

It was time, however, for real supper, so we knocked off rowing, and
provisions, with grog, were served out, and not sorry I was to rest my
arms. A capital supper was made, and the crew seemed to enjoy it much.
Once more, with renewed strength, we took to our oars. To pull all
night long, with the chance of a fight at the end of it, is not so
pleasant as lying snugly in bed; but, under the circumstances, I
infinitely preferred being where I was--eagerness gave strength to our
arms. We could not go on much longer without falling in with her, it
was thought.

"It depends whether she is full or empty," observed the lieutenant. "If
the latter, she'll be making the best of her way across to the
Continent; but if she's full she'll be hovering about the coast for the
chance of running her cargo. She'll probably just now have her canvas
lowered on deck, so that it will be a hard job to make her out."

There seemed wisdom in this remark, but as she could have run some of
her cargo when she stood in in the afternoon if she had had any on
board, the general opinion was that she was steering a course for
Dunkirk, to which a smuggling lugger frequenting the coast was known to
belong, and it was thought that she must be that same lugger. All we
hoped for was that the calm would continue. We were pulling steadily
on, the men chatting with each other, when Mr Kelson sung out,
"Silence! a sail ahead!" I could not help looking anxiously over my
shoulder to ascertain what she was. I could just discern a dark object
no great height out of the water.

"She's the lugger, I really think," observed Mr Kelson. "I hope she
may have some tubs aboard."

"I pray that she may have the dear children safe," said Uncle Boz.

"Yes, she's a lugger, there's no doubt about that," remarked the
lieutenant.

Everyone was now on the alert, and I saw the men feeling that their
weapons were ready for