“A cutter? Yes, may be a yacht, or may be the new cutter ordered on the station. Make all sail, Mr Tomkins: hoist our pendant, and fire a gun—they will understand what we mean then; they don’t know the Happy-go-lucky as well as we do.”
In a few minutes the Active was under a press of sail; she hoisted her pendant, and fired a gun. The smuggler perceived that the Active had recognised her, and she also threw out more canvas, and ran off more to the westward.
“There’s a gun, sir,” reported one of the men to Mr Stewart, on board of the yacht.
“Yes; give me the glass—a revenue-cutter; then this vessel in shore running towards us must be a smuggler.”
“She has just now made all sail, sir.”
“Yes, there’s no doubt of it. I will go down to his lordship; keep her as she goes.”
Mr Stewart then went down to inform Lord B— of the circumstance. Not only Lord B— but most of the gentlemen came on deck; as did soon afterwards the ladies, who had received the intelligence from Lord B—, who spoke to them through the door of the cabin.
But the smuggler had more wind than the revenue-cutter, and increased her distance.
“If we were to wear round, my lord,” observed Mr Stewart, “she is just abreast of us and in shore, we could prevent her escape.”
“Round with her, Mr Stewart,” said Lord B—; “we must do our duty and protect the laws.”