On their way back, when they were only about four or five miles from their harbour, they fell in with a small open sailing-boat named the Rose, containing four or five men.  Field’s bigger craft was hailed by the Rose and asked to be taken in tow, as they also had run short of provisions, and were anxious to get back to harbour at once.  Field’s boat took one of their crew on board, whilst the rest remained in the Rose and were towed astern.  It was now about four or five in the morning, and they had not proceeded more than another couple of miles before they were hailed again, but this time by a boat under the command of a Preventive officer named Lipscomb, who had been sent by Lieutenant Gammon, R.N., from the revenue cruiser Cameleon.  The cutter’s boat bumped alongside Field’s craft, which was called the Diamond.  After making fast, Lipscomb and his boat’s crew jumped aboard, and announced that they suspected the Diamond was fitted with concealments, and he wished to examine her.  But after rummaging the ship nothing suspicious was found.  Lipscomb then explained that he had been ordered by Lieutenant Gammon to take the Diamond and to bring her alongside the Cameleon and then to order Field and his crew to go aboard the cruiser as prisoners.

This, of course, did not lead to harmony on board.  Lipscomb attempted to seize hold of the tiller, so as to steer the vessel back to Hastings Roads, where the cruiser was lying.  But Field turned to him and said—­

“I don’t know about your having the helm.  You don’t know where the cutter is any more than I do.”

With that, Field pushed the man aside, grasped hold of the tiller, and shoved it hard up, and bearing away, ran the vessel out seawards.  But after keeping on this course for twenty minutes they fell in with the Cameleon, and the two vessels came near to each other.  The cruiser’s commander shouted to Lipscomb, and ordered him to get into the cruiser’s galley, which had been towing astern of the Diamond all this time, and to row to the cruiser.  This was done, and then Lipscomb received his orders.  He was to return to the trawler and seize the hands and bring them to the Cameleon.  So the galley returned again and brought the Diamond’s crew as ordered.  It was now 7 A.M., and they were kept as prisoners on the cutter till 9 A.M. the following day.  Lipscomb and his boat’s crew of four now took charge of the Diamond, and began to trim sheets, and before long the two craft got separated.

When Field proceeded on board the Cameleon he took with him his ship’s papers at the lieutenant’s orders.  He then ventured to ask how it was that his smack had been detained, to which Gammon replied that he had received information from the Collector of Customs at Rye.  Field, however, was incredulous.  “I rather doubt your word,” he said, whereupon the officer took out of his pocket a letter, doubled the page down one or two lines, and showed the doubting skipper that it was as the lieutenant had stated.  Gammon then went below and took Field’s papers with him, and there they remained till the following morning.