I feel as
cheap as any of you do, but it can't be helped now; and there's no use
of having unpleasant feelings about it, for that would spoil a good
day's sport. If we didn't catch them, we did our best, and we had a
good, exciting race--one that I wouldn't have missed for a good deal.
Now, boys, show that you appreciate the good trick that has been
played on us, by giving the smugglers three hearty cheers."
This little speech--showing Charles to be a boy of good feeling--had
the effect of convincing the coast-guards that to manifest any
ill-will at their defeat would be both unkind and selfish, and the
cheer that rose from forty strong lungs was almost deafening. The
smugglers, who had heard what Charles had said, cheered lustily, in
turn, for the coast-guards, and instantly every unkind feeling
vanished. The coast-guards readily entered into conversation with the
smugglers, and the latter explained the trick of which they had made
use, as well as the manner in which the capture of the prisoners was
affected, and the adventure with the police-boat; and, although the
coast-guards were provoked at themselves for "not having more sense,"
as they termed it, they could not refrain from joining in a hearty
laugh.
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