“Look here, sir,” continued Hilary, as he heard the lieutenant approaching, “you may just as well save us the trouble by declaring what you have hidden. We are sure to find it.”
“Got anything, Mr Leigh?” said the lieutenant briskly.
“Nothing yet, sir. Have you?”
“Not a tub, or a package.”
“If you imagine, sir, that this boat is laden with smuggled goods you may save yourselves a great deal of trouble, for there is nothing contraband on board, I feel sure.”
“Thank you,” said the lieutenant politely, and with a satirical laugh; “but you’d hardly believe it, my dear sir, when I tell you that dozens of skippers and passengers in boats have said the very same thing to me, and whenever that has been the case we have generally made a pretty good haul of smuggled goods. Go on, my lads; I can’t leave a corner unsearched.”
Sir Henry gave his shoulders a slight shrug, and turned to draw his daughter’s hood over her head.
“You’ll excuse my child, gentlemen,” he said coldly. “She is very weak and ill.”
“Oh! of course,” said Hilary; “we’ve searched here, sir; she can lie down again.”
Adela uttered a low sigh of relief, and she longed to dart a grateful look at the young officer, but she dared not; and knowing that in place of looking pale and ill a warm flush of excitement was beaming in her cheeks, she hastily drew her hand closer over her face, and let her father place her upon a rough couch of dry nets.