"Why do you laugh, Mistress Corbett, and what is that you have heard at the admiral's office?"
"What you may hear yourself, and what I know to be true; there is not a single smuggler in the cave."
"No!" exclaimed the sergeant. "What, nobody there?"
"Yes, there is somebody there, the cave has been chosen by the smugglers to land their goods in."
"But some of them must be there in charge of the goods."
"Yes, so there are, but they are all women, the smugglers' wives, who live there; what an expedition! Let me see:--one gallant major, one gallant captain, two gallant lieutenants, eight gallant non-commissioned officers, and a hundred gallant soldiers of the Buffs, all going to attack, and rout, and defeat a score of old women."
"But you're joking, Mistress Nancy."
"Upon my life I'm not, sergeant, you'll find it true; the admiral's ashamed of the whole affair, and the cutter's crew swear they won't fire a single shot."
"By the god of war!" exclaimed the sergeant, "but this is cursed bad news you bring, Mistress Corbett."
"Not at all; your regiment will become quite the fancy, you'll go by the name of the lady-killers, ha, ha, ha. I wish you joy, sergeant, ha, ha, ha."