"Good sandy bottom for running the lugger ashore.

Nice game must have been carried on here.

Come, Captain Duncan," he continued in a jocular tone, "you knew of this place years ago." "I give you my word of honour, sir," replied my father coldly, "that I was quite unaware of even the existence of the caverns till a few days ago; and even then I did not know that they were applied to this purpose." "Humph! And you so near!" "You forget, sir, that my house is two miles and a half along the coast, and I have only lately purchased the Gap." My father was evidently very much annoyed, but as a brother officer he felt himself bound in duty to put up with his visitor's impertinences, and accordingly he said very little that was resentful.
The men rowed on steadily, and as my father grew more reserved in his answers the officer turned to Bob Chowne.
"So you were there when the cargo was landed, were you ?" he said.
"Yes," replied Bob coolly.
"Yes, _sir_," said the lieutenant sharply, "recollect that you are addressing an officer." "Doctors don't say _sir_ to everybody they meet," retorted Bob quickly.
"Doctors ?" "Well, my father's a doctor, and I'm going to be one, so it's all the same.

I can make pills." The lieutenant frowned and looked terribly fierce; but his men had burst into a hearty laugh at the idea of Bob making pills, so he turned it off with a contemptuous "Pooh!" "Well," he said, "how came you to be there when the cargo was landed ?" "Thought you knew," said Bob; "we were shut in by the tide.

Our boat had drifted away." "You three boys ?" "Yes, and Captain Duncan," replied Bob.
"And what did the smuggler say to you ?" said the lieutenant, turning sharply on me.
"Say to us, _sir_ ?" I replied.
"Yes, answer quickly, and don't repeat my words." "I didn't know smugglers spoke to people they could not see.