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Ten minutes' run brought them across the river; and when Frank, proud of the victory he had gained, rounded the long dock, the Alert was full four rods behind. The breeze was rapidly dying away, and not one of the coast-guards had yet reached the shore. Some of them had been carried almost a mile below the creek, and lay with the sails idly flapping against the masts.
He nodded, and Frank understood that there was no more to say, and, thanking the officer, turned and walked off home. The fisherman met him on the way. "You keep up your heart, Mr. Frank. Me and some of the others have been having a talk with the coast-guards, and they will be all right. Of course, there is not one of them that does not know Mr.
"While you were hurrying around, and taking your positions, we were eating our breakfast. You see, we took matters easy." "And beat us, after all," said one of the coast-guards; "it's too bad. But let's have that committee appointed."
"I have learned one thing to-day," said Frank, "that pleased me very much, and that is that the coast-guards intend to keep spies about the boat-house all night." "Why does that please you?" inquired Harry. "Do you want them to discover all our plans, so that they may be ready for us?" "By no means. I'll risk good deal that they will not learn more than we want them to know.
After enjoying a hearty laugh at the expense of the coast-guards, led by George and Harry, they ran up stairs into the "large chamber," a room containing three beds, and they were soon snug between the sheets.
The smugglers, who had heard what Charles had said, cheered lustily, in turn, for the coast-guards, and instantly every unkind feeling vanished.
The seizure of smuggled goods with which they might have contrived to indemnify themselves was no longer possible. The contraband trade, under this system, was completely annihilated. The smugglers knew better than to come in contact with coast-guards whose performance of their duty was stimulated by such a keen necessity!
"This was evidently the original entrance to these caves," Ralph said, "but it was covered up when the rocks came down from above. That would account for the place not being known to the coast-guards. I thought the passage we came in by looked as if it had been enlarged by the hand of man.
"I've spoken to have the coast-guards look out for him," said the old man. "He may come ashore, and I know he'd be pleased to be put in the churchyard decent." "I'm sure he would," said Fraser. "I suppose there's no chance of his having been picked up. I slung a life-belt overboard." Captain Barber shook his head.
The next moment he called out, "Jim, take your division, and creep down the shore of the island, and be ready to catch her there, if she gets away from us." For a few moments there was a "great hurrying" among the coast-guards. The anchors were drawn up with a jerk, the sails flew up the masts, and the little fleet bore rapidly down upon the smuggler.
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