"No, smugglers!" said Carl.
"Hope ye'll catch 'em. Where do they hail from? I thought the days of smuggling in Torbay were over. Better come with me; I'll row you back quicker than him," said Brack.
An altercation ensued between the seamen. Brack had insulted Carl's man; the wordy warfare became furious.
"Row back to the harbor!" shouted Carl in a rage. "And you sheer off or it will be the worse for you."
This was all Brack wished to hear. If Hackler returned, there was no danger.
"Keep cool," shouted Brack. "I reckon I'll be home first."
His mother was sitting up anxiously awaiting the news when he came.
"He's got safe away, but we had a narrow squeak for it," he said, and told her what happened.
"I wish our Bill were on the Sea-mew," she said with a sigh.
"Maybe he will be some day, mother," said Brack.