looking out for a sail down the river, I'll warrant?"
"You are right, Jacob," answered Harry, shaking the proffered hand. "Ihave not had a sniff of salt water for the last week. But where haveyou been all this time?"
"I have been to sea, Master Harry--to foreign lands--and if you are sominded I will help you to take a trip there, too."
"You have not been away long enough to go to any foreign lands that Iknow of, except perhaps the coast of France or to Holland," observedHarry.
"That's just where I have been, Master Harry, and if you like to comedown along the quay I will show you the craft I went in. She's not onea seaman need be ashamed of, let me tell you."
Harry accompanied his friend. Jacob Tuttle had been one of Harry'sfirst companions in a boat, and he indeed taught him to row. As he wassix or eight years older than Harry, the latter looked at him with greatrespect, and considered him an accomplished seaman. He was, indeed, agood specimen of the British sailor of those days, brave, open-hearted,and generous, but with the smallest possible amount of judgment ordiscretion. Harry accompanied him along the bank of the river for somedistance.
"There! what do you think of her?" asked Jacob, pointing to awonderfully long, narrow lugger which lay alongside the wooden quay orjetty. "She measures 120 feet from the tip of her bowsprit to the endof her outrigger, and she sails like the wind. We pull forty oars, andthere is no revenue cutter can come near us, blow high or blow low."The vessel at which Harry and his companion were looking was indeed abeautiful craft. She had fore and aft cuddies for sleeping berths, andwas open amid-ships "for the stowage of 2,000 kegs of spirits," Jacobwhispered in Harry's ear. "Would you not like to take a trip in her,Master Harry?"
Harry confessed that he should like it very much.
Lady Tryon was on the point of starting for London. Probably the "SaucySally" would not sail for two or three days. He might make the trip andbe back again without anybody knowing anything about it. Tuttle wouldintroduce Harry to the skipper. He was a first-rate fellow, whether anEnglishman or a foreigner he could not tell, but his equal was noteasily to be found. It was a pleasure to be with him in a gale of wind,and to hear him issue his orders. Captain Falwasser was his name. The"Saucy Sally" carried fifty hands, officers and crew, all told, and hadguns too, but they were kept stowed away below, unless wanted.
"But, Harry, come on board."
Harry could not resist the temptation. He reflected little about therights of the thing, and even if he had, to say the truth, CaptainFalwasser's occupation was at that time not much condemned by publicopinion. He soon found himself visiting every part of the "SaucySally," and being introduced to her daring skipper. Captain Falwasserwas a strongly-built man, but in other respects refined and gentlemanlyin appearance. The expression of his lips showed wonderfuldetermination, and those who looked at his eye felt that they were inthe presence of a man accustomed to command his fellows. His cheek waspale and sunken, and there was on his features a settled expression ofmelancholy. Harry was delighted with all he saw, and longed more thanever to take a trip on board the lugger. Captain Falwasser, however,did not seem inclined to indulge him in his wish. At last he had to goon shore, and return home. A few days after this he saw the "SaucySally" with her jovial crew, loudly cheering, while she dropped down theriver, the Custom House officers looking on.
"We'll catch them one of these days, in spite of all their cunning,"observed one. "They think we don't know when they are coming back. Wewill show them their mistake."
Harry kept thinking of the "Saucy Sally" and her bold skipper, and hestill entertained the hopes of some day making a trip in her. Two orthree weeks passed away, and once more she lay in Lynderton river, withher empty hold looking as innocent as if she had been merely out for afew hours' pleasure trip. There were reports of a large cargo havingbeen run somewhere on the Dorsetshire coast, not far from Yarmouth, butof course the crew of the "Saucy Sally" knew nothing of the matter. Abody of yeomanry had met a large party of waggons, surrounded by two orthree hundred men, each with pistols in their holsters, and carbines intheir hands, proceeding northward; but the soldiers considereddiscretion, in this case, the better part of valour, being very sure,had they attempted to interfere with them, they would be cut down to aman. It was shrewdly suspected that this cavalcade was conveying to aplace of safety the cargo landed from the "Saucy Sally." Harry verynaturally went down to have a look at the lugger. Jacob Tuttle told himhow sorry he had felt that he could not come the last trip.
"If you have a mind for it still, come on board the night before, and Iwill stow you away. When we are fairly at sea, you can come out, and ifthe skipper is angry I will stand the blame."
Harry managed to get away from Aylestone Hall, his grandmother beingstill absent, and was, unseen by any one, stowed on board the "SaucySally." It is possible that more than once, while shut up in the closecuddy, he repented of his proposed exploit. However, he was in for it,as the crew, most of them half-seas over, kept coming on board. Thenext morning, if not as sober as judges, they were yet pretty well ableto handle the lugger, and with their usual exulting shouts they mannedtheir oars and pulled down the river. They were soon at sea, andgetting a slant of wind, the smuggler's enormous lug-sails were hoisted,and away she stood towards the French coast. Jacob, according topromise, released Harry. The skipper's sharp eye soon singled him out,though he kept forward among the crew. He was summoned aft, and fullyexpected a severe scolding.
"What made you come with us, my boy?" asked Captain Falwasser, in a kindtone. "You are too young to run the dangers we have to go through. Youwill have enough of them by-and-bye. And so Jacob Tuttle brought you,did he? I will settle that business with him. You must be under mycharge till I land you again at Lynderton."
Jacob Tuttle not only got a severe scolding, but the captain threatenedto dismiss him as soon as they got back to England. Meantime theappearance of the lugger was being changed. The crew, as they drew nearthe French coast, dressed as Frenchmen, and pieces of painted canvaswere hung over the sides of the vessel, so that she no longer lookedlike the trim, dashing craft she really was. The "Saucy Sally" droppedher anchor close in with the coast, just as the shades of evening fellover the ocean. A boat was lowered. Harry had been made to change hisdress like the rest. The skipper invited him to accompany him.
"Remember you are to be dumb," said Captain Falwasser. "If you keepclose to me no harm will come to you."
A light was shown on board the vessel, and was immediately answered byanother on shore. Soon afterwards a number of boats were heardapproaching. The captain exchanged a signal with one of them, and thencontinued his course to the shore. After walking some distance theyreached a town. The captain paid several visits, and as he spokeFrench, Harry could not make out what was said. The captain seemedgreatly surprised and shocked at some disastrous news he heard. Hetransacted business with some people on whom he called, and Harry sawhim pay away the contents of a large bag of gold. He was more silentthan ever on his walk back to the beach. He sighed deeply. "UnhappyFrance, unhappy France!" he said to himself; "what is to become of you?"
When they got on board the lugger again, she was deeply laden with kegsand bales of goods. That instant her anchor was tripped, and sail beingmade, she stood back towards the English coast. Daylight soonafterwards broke. She made the land some time before dark, but waitedtill she could not be seen from the shore before she ran in. Sharp eyeskept looking out for the expected signal: it was made. She ran in tillher bows almost touched the sand. Fully three hundred people werewaiting on the beach; with wonderful rapidity her cargo was landed, andeach cask or bale being put on the broad shoulders of a stout fellow,was carried away instantly up the cliff. Not a yard of silk, a bottleof brandy, nor a pound of tobacco remained on board. Instantly the oarswere got out, and before daylight she was once more at the mouth ofLynderton river.
"I have only one request to make," said the captain to Harry, "tha
t youwill promise me faithfully not to tell to any one what you have seen.You came on board the `Saucy Sally,' were away a couple of nights, andwere once again put safely on shore at Lynderton. That's all you maytell, remember."
Harry gave his promise; he felt grateful to. Captain Falwasser for thekind treatment he had received. Harry begged that Jacob Tuttle might beforgiven. The captain replied he would consider the matter; but Jacobdid not seem inclined to trust to him, and soon afterwards entered onboard a man-of-war.
This was Harry's first adventure. He was somewhat disappointed in theresult. It was some time before he engaged in another.
There were a good many country houses scattered
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