"Then, my lord, allow me to say that you would do much better to attend to the framing of laws, and leave people of less consequence, like those astern of me, to execute them. 'Mind your own business,' is an old adage. We shall not hurt you, my lord, as you have only employed words, but we shall put it out of your power to hurt us. Come aft, my lads. Now, my lord, resistance is useless; we are double your numbers, and you have caught a Tartar."
Lord B. and Mr Stewart perceived that they were in an awkward predicament.
"You may do what you please," observed Mr Stewart, "but the revenue boats are coming up, recollect."
"Look you, sir, do you see the revenue cutter?" said Pickersgill.
Stewart looked in that direction, and saw that she was hidden in the fog.
"In five minutes, sir, the boats will be out of sight also, and so will your vessel; we have nothing to fear from them."
"Indeed, my lord, we had better return," said Mr Stewart, who perceived that Pickersgill was right.
"I beg your pardon, you will not go on board your yacht so soon as you expect. Take the oars out of the boat, my lads, two or three of you, and throw in a couple of our paddles for them to reach the shore with. The rest of you knock down the first man who offers to resist. You are not aware, perhaps, my lord, that you have attempted piracy on the high seas?"
Stewart looked at Lord B. It was true enough. The men of the yacht could offer no resistance; the oars were taken out of the boat, and the men put in again.
"My lord," said Pickersgill, "your boat is manned—do me the favour to step into it; and you, sir, do the same. I should be sorry to lay my hands upon a peer of the realm, or a king's officer even on half pay."