The Launching of Roger Brook

crews the bumpers were hauled in and they drew apart.

When the Sally Ann had been swallowed up in the darkness Roger made his way down to the schooner's cabin. It was roomier and somewhat cleaner than that of the lugger, and it had eight bunks instead of only four. Depositing his satchel on one of them he went up again to seek out Dan, now feeling a twinge of remorse at his recent fears that the smuggler intended to cheat and rob him.

The crew were busy setting the sails and Dan was standing at the break of the shallow poop behind the big wheel.

'I've no wish to pry, Dan,' Roger said as he joined him, 'but

I'm all agog to know the reason for the exchange we've just made. Won't you tell me what lies behind it?'

The smuggler laughed. 'Aye, why not. 'E'll find out for 'e's self soon enough. 'Tis this way. The Riding Officers be mighty spry these days roun' Mudeford and Bourne Heath; but the Isle o' Wight has quiet covers a plenty, so 'tis there we now run our cargoes. Then the Yarmouth lads bring 'em over piecemeal, a few kegs at a time, in the little boats that be always plyin' to an' fro from the island.'

'So that's why 'tis done,' murmured Roger. 'But why couldn't you land your cargo on the island direct from the lugger?'

'I could, lad; an' always did in the good days. But as I've telled 'e Ollie Nixon's out to have my blood. 'Tis to fox he that we make the change o' craft. Come daylight should he sight the Sally Ann, 'tis her he'll keep his weather eye on, while she does a bit o' harmless fishin' an' we take the Albatross to France.'

' 'Tis monstrous clever, that, Dan.'

'Aye; 'tis a ruse that has worked twice afore, an' pray God 'twill work again.'

For the best part of two hours Roger remained on deck, while the little schooner, lifting and falling gently to the swell, cleaved her way through the night; then he thought that he would turn in for a bit. The knobs and points of the jewel-filled bandage round his waist irked him somewhat but their weight was better distributed than it had been as a heavy packet in his pocket, so he decided to leave them as they were, and, adjusting them more comfortably, lay down on his bunk in his clothes. Youth can do with far more sleep than age, and, in spite of his long nap that evening, he had hardly closed his eyes before he dropped off.

When he awoke it was daylight and a strong smell of cooking assailed his nostrils. On sitting up he saw that Fred Mullins was busy cooking bacon, onions and pigs' fry in the tiny galley that formed the far end of the cabin. Tidying his hair as best he could in a cracked mirror nailed to the bulkhead, he joined the ex-naval jolly and helped lay up the table for breakfast.

The men came down for their meal in relays, Dan being last, and when he had eaten he turned in for a spell while Roger went on deck. The old fisherman, Simon Fry, was now at the wheel and the schooner was scudding along on a fine breeze. The weather promised well and on looking round the horizon Roger could see no sail except the Sally Ann, which apparently had kept them company all through the night, and now lay about a mile away on their port quarter.

There was nothing to do but laze in the sunshine and, making himself as comfortable as he could on a coil of rope Roger took his ease there all through the morning. At midday he joined the crew in another rough and ready meal and, after it, Dan took the wheel again.

As he did so he asked Roger how he was feeling, and Roger, having entirely forgotten the plea by which he had induced the smuggler to take him on the trip, replied cheerfully: 'I never felt better, Dan. I'm as fit as a fiddle.'

' 'Tis just as I told 'e,' Dan laughed. 'Tain't no different in mid-channel, here, than 'tis huggin' the coast in a bit o' a yawl. An' we's nigher to France than England now. Come six o'clock we should make a landfall.'

The early hours of the afternoon drifted by uneventfully but soon after four o'clock Nick Bartlett, who was acting as lookout, called: 'Sail astern, Cap'n.'

Slipping a noose of rope over one of the spokes of the wheel to keep it in position Dan picked up a spy-glass and focused it on the speck that the surly longshoreman had reported.

After a few moments he lowered his telescope with a curse and added: ' 'Tis the Revenue cutter Expedition; Ollie Nixon be after us again.'

'Well, you've naught to fear,' Roger said in an effort to reassure him. ' 'Tis the Sally Ann that he'll be interested in, not us.'

'Aye, let's hope so,' Dan muttered, 'may God rot his guts.'

The captain of the Sally Ann had also evidently sighted the Revenue cutter, as she began to play her part as a decoy and draw away, while the Albatross held on her course.

All the crew had now assembled on deck and for the next half-hour they watched the Revenue cutter anxiously. She was considerably faster than either of the other ships, and soon began to overhaul them. In order to avoid arousing the Revenue men's suspicions the Sally Ann had not taken any drastic action that would have been immediately perceptible to them but only adopted a slightly divergent course a few more points to westward; so it was at first impossible to tell whether the cutter was in pursuit of the schooner or the lugger.

Then, to their dismay, the issue became certain. The Sally Ann was now a good two miles away and had dropped some distance astern; but the Expedition was ignoring her and, with all sail spread, coming up in the wake of the Albatross.

'Darn his eyes!' Dan swore. 'He've smelled our red herring once too often, an' he means to board us.'

'What if he does?' said Roger. 'You've not loaded your contraband yet, so he can't lay a finger on you.'

'Nay,' Dan muttered uneasily, 'To-night we've naught to fear 'cept from the Frenchies. But Ollie Nixon havin' tumbled to our ruse bodes ill for our homeward run. Once he have satisfied hisself that 'tis me an' my lads is aboard the Albatross he'll patrol these waters for days to get us.'

While they had been talking the cutter had come up to within hailing distance of the schooner and a faint but clear call came to them from across the water:

'Heave-to, there! In the King's name, heave-to!'

With another curse Dan gave the wheel a spin, bringing the schooner round within six points of the wind, so that her sails emptied and began to flop idly against her stays. Her crew scattered quickly to reef them in, and while they were still busy at it the cutter drew abreast. No sooner had she checked her way than some of her people began to get out a boat. It was easy to see that they were used to the business, from the despatch they used, and five minutes later a smart gig was making fast to the schooner's stern.

A heavy, red-faced man hauled himself aboard and his sharp black eyes swept the little group of sullen- looking sailors.

'Arternoon, Mr. Nixon,' said Dan, with the best grace he could muster.

'So, 'tis you, Dan Izzard,' Nixon muttered, 'I guessed as much. What are you and your culleys doing aboard the Albatross?'

'Cap'n Cummings giv' me the loan o' her, Sir. 'E'll allow there's naught illegal in that.'

Nay, naught illegal, but 'tis monstrous fishy seeing that I know you to have sailed from Lymington last night in the Sally Ann. What cargo are you carrying; or are you in ballast?'

'In ballast, may it please your honour,' replied Dan sarcastically.

Nixon turned to a petty officer who had scrambled aboard after him. 'Nip down into her hold, Higgins, and take a look-see.'

As the man moved to obey Dan threw up a hand to restrain him and grumbled: 'Easy, easy. If 'e must stick e's nose into other folks' business 'tis a cargo o* salt we have aboard, an' we're bound for Le Havre.'

'So that's the lay, is it?' Nixon's heavy face broke into a sly grin. 'All right, Higgins, we'll take his word for it.'

'B'ain't naught illegal in that, neither,' said Dan with a scowl.

'Not if you land your salt openly at Le Havre; but I'm not in King Louis's pay, so that's not my affair.'

As Nixon turned to regain his boat he suddenly caught sight of Roger who, up till then, had been standing half-concealed from him by the big wheel. Halting, he exclaimed in surprise:

'Why, 'tis Master Brook! What would you be doing here?'