They had hardly disappeared, when the smugglers saw several boys steal cautiously around the corner of the boat-house, where they had been concealed, and one of them crept up the bank, to assure himself that the coast was clear, while the others remained in the shadow of the house.

The former, who proved to be Charles Sheldon, the commander of the coast-guards, as soon as he had satisfied himself that the smugglers had gone into the house, called out, in a low whisper, to the others, who were the captains of the divisions of the squadron, "All right, boys; go ahead, but be careful not to make any noise.

I didn't see Frank Nelson's dog go into the yard," he continued; "he must be around here somewhere.

We must not let him hear us." Brave _was_, as Charles had said, "around there somewhere." He was lying by his master's side, among the willows, no doubt wondering at the strange things that were going on, and, well-trained as he was, it was with great difficulty that Frank could keep him quiet.
The coast-guards crossed the wharf with noiseless steps, and, unfastening the skiff which the smugglers had just used, they climbed down into it, and pushed off toward the Alert.

A few strokes brought them alongside of her, and, thrusting their arms under the sail, they began the examination which the smugglers had so much dreaded.
"What do you find ?" inquired Charles, who still kept watch at the top of the bank.
"Here are a lot of baskets and pails," said one "And here's the large basket that George and Harry brought," said another.
"What are these round things in this bag, I wonder ?" said the one who had first spoken.
"Oh, those are the lemons I brought," said Charles.
"Gracious! how hard they are!" continued the boy, trying to dig his fingers into them.
At this, Frank and William, who, of course, had heard every word of the conversation, and had sat fairly trembling with excitement, fearful that their trick would be discovered, could scarcely refrain from laughing outright.