These were removed at length, and the door was thrown open, when a peculiar dim bluish mist slowly rose, and disappeared in the broad sunshine.
"Keep back, my lads," said the lieutenant.

"The powder smells badly, and it would be very risky to go down now." "Fire seems to be out," said Archy, as he held his hand in the bluish smoke, which was dank and cold.
"Not much to burn," said the lieutenant; and, giving the word, the men bivouacked on the short turf to eat the provender they had brought, quite alone, for not a soul from the cottages between the farm and the cave appeared.
So strong a current of air set through the old quarry, that by the time they had ended the air was good; but now another difficulty arose.
There were no lights, and a couple of men had to be despatched to the farm, from whence they returned with four lanthorns which had often been used for signals.
Armed with these, the party descended, and explored the place, to find that, where the powder had exploded, the walls were blackened and grisly, and that scores of little barrel staves were lying about shattered in all directions and pretty well burned away.

On the other hand, the staves of the brandy kegs were for the most part hardly scorched, and the stone floor showed no traces of fire having passed.
The spirits had burned vividly till the explosion took place, when the force of the powder seemed to have scattered everything, but it had been saving as well as destructive, separating the brandy kegs, some of which burst and added fuel to the flames, but many remained untouched.
In fact, to the great delight of all, it was found that, though a great deal of destruction had been done, there was an ample supply of the smugglers' stores left to well load the cutter twice; and, jubilant with the discovery, the men returned on board, dreaming of prize-money, but not until a strong guard had been left over the place, in case any of the wasps should return.
But they did not come back.

The nest had been burned out, and the smuggling in that part of the Freestone Shore had received so heavy a blow, that only one or two of the men cared to return, and then only for a temporary stay.
Lieutenant Brough's despatch had of course been sent in, and he obtained praise and prize-money.
"But no promotion, Mr Raystoke," he cried; "and of course you can have none until you have passed.

They have not even appointed you to another ship." "Well, if you are going to stay in the _White Hawk_, sir, I don't know that I want to change.