“Stop! stop! fair play, captain; it’s my turn now,” cried the lieutenant, snatching the flask from his friend’s grasp, and applying it to his own lips.

Both the lieutenant and Ruby pronounced the gin perfect, and as Minnie positively refused either to taste or to pronounce judgment, the flask was returned to its owner’s pocket.

They were now close on the smugglers, whom they hailed, and commanded to lay on their oars.

The order was at once obeyed, and the boats were speedily rubbing sides together.

“I should like to examine your boat, friends,” said the lieutenant as he stepped across the gunwales.

“Oh! sir, I’m thankfu’ to find you’re not smugglers,” said Swankie, with an assumed air of mingled respect and alarm.  “If we’d only know’d ye was preventives we’d ha’ backed oars at once.  There’s nothin’ here; ye may seek as long’s ye please.

The hypocritical rascal winked slyly to his comrade as he said this.  Meanwhile Lindsay and one of the men examined the contents of the boat, and, finding nothing contraband, the former said—­

“So, you’re honest men, I find.  Fishermen, doubtless?”

“Ay, some o’ yer crew ken us brawly,” said Davy Spink with a grin.

“Well, I won’t detain you,” rejoined the lieutenant; “it’s quite a pleasure to chase honest men on the high seas in these times of war and smuggling.  But it’s too bad to have given you such a fright, lads, for nothing.  What say you to a glass of gin?”

Big Swankie and his comrade glanced at each other in surprise.  They evidently thought this an unaccountably polite Government officer, and were puzzled.  However, they could do no less than accept such a generous offer.

“Thank’ee, sir,” said Big Swankie, spitting out his quid and significantly wiping his mouth.  “I hae nae objection.  Doubtless it’ll be the best that the like o’ you carries in yer bottle.”

“The best, certainly,” said the lieutenant, as he poured out a bumper, and handed it to the smuggler.  “It was smuggled, of course, and you see His Majesty is kind enough to give his servants a little of what they rescue from the rascals, to drink his health.”

“Weel, I drink to the King,” said Swankie, “an’ confusion to all his enemies, ’specially to smugglers.”

He tossed off the gin with infinite gusto, and handed back the cup with a smack of the lips and a look that plainly said, “More, if you please!”

But the hint was not taken.  Another bumper was filled and handed to Davy Spink, who had been eyeing the crew of the boat with great suspicion.  He accepted the cup, nodded curtly, and said—­

“Here’s t’ ye, gentlemen, no forgettin’ the fair leddy in the stern-sheets.”

While he was drinking the gin the lieutenant turned to his men—­

“Get out the keg, lads, from which that came, and refill the flask.  Hold it well up in the moonlight, and see that ye don’t spill a single drop, as you value your lives.  Hey! my man, what ails you?  Does the gin disagree with your stomach, or have you never seen a smuggled keg of spirits before, that you stare at it as if it were a keg of ghosts!”