When the cutter reached Weymouth with the lugger, the men captured in her were at once sent to prison, where they remained until they were tried at assizes three months afterwards; and, although all were acquitted of the charge of unlawful resistance to the king's officers, as there was no proof against any of the six men individually, they were sentenced to a year's imprisonment for smuggling.
Whether Jim's hurriedly written letter was thrown overboard, or whether it was carried in the pocket of the man to whom he gave it until worn into fragments, James never knew, but it never reached his mother.
The news that James was missing was brought to her upon the day after the event by Mr.Wilks.He had, as usual, gone down after breakfast to report how Aggie was getting on, with a message from his mother that her charge was now so completely restored that it was unnecessary for her to stay longer at the Hall, and that she should come home that evening at her usual time.

Hearing from the girl that James had not returned since he went out at nine o'clock on the previous evening, the old soldier sauntered down to the beach, to inquire of the fishermen in whose boat James had gone out.
To his surprise, he found that none of the boats had put to sea the evening before.

The men seemed less chatty and communicative than usual.

Most of them were preparing to go out with their boats, and none seemed inclined to enter into a conversation.

Rather wondering at their unusual reticence, Mr.Wilks strolled along to where the officer of the revenue men was standing, with his boatswain, watching the fishermen.
"A fine morning, lieutenant." "Yes," the latter assented.