The Three Cutters Part 5

The positions of the three cutters were as follows:--

The _Happy-go-lucky_ was about four miles off Portland Head, and well into West Bay. The revenue-cutter was close to the Head. The yacht was outside of the smuggler, about two miles to the westward, and about five or six miles from the revenue-cutter.

"Two vessels in sight, sir," said Mr Smith, coming down into the cabin to Mr Appleboy.

"Very well," replied the lieutenant, who was _lying_ down in his _standing_ bed-place.

"The people say one is the _Happy-go-lucky_, sir," drawled Smith.

"Heh? What! _Happy-go-lucky_? Yes, I recollect; I've boarded her twenty times--always empty. How's she standing?"

"She stands to the westward now, sir; but she was hove to, they say, when they first saw her."

"Then she has a cargo in her," and Mr Appleboy shaved himself, dressed, and went on deck.

"Yes," said the lieutenant, rubbing his eyes again and again, and then looking through the gla.s.s, "it is her, sure enough. Let draw the foresheet-hands make sail. What vessel's the other?"

"Don't know, sir,--she's a cutter."

"A cutter? Yes, may be a yacht, or may be the new cutter ordered on the station. Make all sail, Mr Tomkins: hoist our pendant, and fire a gun--they will understand what we mean then; they don't know the _Happy-go-lucky_ as well as we do."

In a few minutes the _Active_ was under a press of sail; she hoisted her pendant, and fired a gun. The smuggler perceived that the _Active_ had recognised her, and she also threw out more canvas, and ran off more to the westward.

"There's a gun, sir," reported one of the men to Mr Stewart, on board of the yacht.

"Yes; give me the gla.s.s--a revenue-cutter; then this vessel in sh.o.r.e running towards us must be a smuggler."

"She has just now made all sail, sir."

"Yes, there's no doubt of it. I will go down to his lords.h.i.+p; keep her as she goes."

Mr Stewart then went down to inform Lord B--- of the circ.u.mstance. Not only Lord B--- but most of the gentlemen came on deck; as did soon afterwards the ladies, who had received the intelligence from Lord B---, who spoke to them through the door of the cabin.

But the smuggler had more wind than the revenue-cutter, and increased her distance.

"If we were to wear round, my lord," observed Mr Stewart, "she is just abreast of us and in sh.o.r.e, we could prevent her escape."

"Round with her, Mr Stewart," said Lord B---; "we must do our duty and protect the laws."

"That will not be fair, papa," said Cecilia Ossulton; "we have no quarrel with the smuggler: I'm sure the ladies have not, for they bring us beautiful things."

"Miss Ossulton," observed her aunt, "it is not proper for you to offer an opinion."

The yacht wore round, and, sailing so fast, the smuggler had little chance of escaping her; but to chase is one thing--to capture, another.

"Let us give her a gun," said Lord B---, "that will frighten her; and he dare not cross our hawse."

The gun was loaded, and not being more than a mile from the smuggler, actually threw the ball almost a quarter of the way.

The gentlemen, as well as Lord B---, were equally excited by the ardour of pursuit; but the wind died away, and at last it was nearly calm. The revenue-cutter's boats were out, and coming up fast.

"Let us get our boat out, Stewart," said his lords.h.i.+p, "and help them; it is quite calm now."

The boat was soon out: it was a very large one, usually stowed on, and occupying a large portion of, the deck. It pulled six oars; and when it was manned, Mr Stewart jumped in, and Lord B--- followed him.

"But you have no arms," said Mr Hautaine.

"The smugglers never resist now," observed Stewart.

"Then you are going on a very gallant expedition, indeed," observed Cecilia Ossulton; "I wish you joy."

But Lord B--- was too much excited to pay attention. They shoved off, and pulled towards the smuggler.

At this time the revenue boats were about five miles astern of the _Happy-go-lucky_, and the yacht about three-quarters of a mile from her in the offing. Pickersgill had, of course, observed the motions of the yacht; had seen her wear on chase, hoist her ensign and pendant, and fire her gun.

"Well," said he, "this is the blackest ingrat.i.tude! To be attacked by the very people whom we smuggle for! I only wish she may come up with us; and, let her attempt to interfere, she shall rue the day: I don't much like this, though."

As we before observed, it fell nearly calm, and the revenue boats were in chase. Pickersgill watched them as they came up.

"What shall we do?" said Corbett,--"get the boat out?"

"Yes," replied Pickersgill, "we will get the boat out, and have the goods in her all ready; but we can pull faster than they do, in the first place; and, in the next, they will be pretty well tired before they come up to us. We are fresh, and shall soon walk away from them; so I shall not leave the vessel till they are within half a mile. We must sink the ankers, that they may not seize the vessel, for it is not worth while taking them with us. Pa.s.s them along, ready to run them over the bows, that they may not see us and swear to it. But we have a good half hour, and more."

"Ay, and you may hold all fast if you choose," said Morrison, "although it's better to be on the right side and get ready; otherwise, before half an hour, I'll swear that we are out of their sight. Look there,"

said he, pointing to the eastward at a heavy bank, "it's coming right down upon us, as I said it would."

"True enough; but still there is no saying which will come first, Morrison, the boats or the fog; so we must be prepared."

"Hilloa! What's this? Why, there's a boat coming from the yacht!"

Pickersgill took out his gla.s.s.

"Yes, and the yacht's own boat with the name painted on her bows. Well, let them come--we will have no ceremony in resisting them; they are not in the Act of Parliament, and must take the consequences. We have nought to fear. Get stretchers, my lads, and hand-spikes; they row six oars, and are three in the stern-sheets: they must be good men if they take us."

In a few minutes Lord B--- was close to the smuggler.

"Boat ahoy! What do you want?"

"Surrender in the king's name."

"To what, and to whom, and what are we to surrender? We are an English vessel coasting along sh.o.r.e."

"Pull on board, my lads," cried Stewart; "I am a king's officer: we know her."

The boat darted alongside, and Stewart and Lord B---, followed by the men, jumped on the deck.

"Well, gentlemen, what do you want?" said Pickersgill.