ain conject

murmur and t

vessel of the

Talland Cove. One may say, considering the heavy dew and the nature of the ridge-of slate formation and sharply serrated-they had clung to it obstinately. Above them

e meadow behind it-lay the main body. A few outposts had been flung wide to the westward, and Captain Pond for

Spettigew, a cheerful sexagenarian, commonly known as Uncle Issy, discussing it with his comrades on the ridge. "There's a terri

said Gunner Oke, a young marrie

an in particular, be he French or English? Folks in

cheerful to talk about." Gunner Oke shifted hi

in for to tell me that a han'some, well-set-up, intelligent chap like Israel Spettigew is for hangin' back at his country's call!' 'Squire,' says I, 'you've a-pictered me to a hair. But there's one thing you've left out. I've been turnin' it over, an' I don't see that I'm fit to die.' 'Why not?' says he. 'I'm not a saved man like them other chaps,' says I. 'I've had a few convictions of sin, but that's as far as it's gone.' 'Tut,' says he, 'have you ever broken the Commandments?' 'What's that?' I asks. 'Why, the things up at the end of the church, inside the rails.' 'I never married my gran'mother, if that's what

hirsty old

ew throats up or down-Lord bless 'ee!-we talked of it as calm as William Oke might talk

'm expectin'," urged Oke,

ordinary way? A few miles; which to a thoughtful mind is but mud and stones, with two-three church

and with all our soul and with all our strength, for richer for poorer, till death us do part, and not to be afraid with any amazement. To my mind, that's half the fun of being a sojer; the pay's small an

the Sergeant's arm of a sudden and

picking his way upon the light shingle by the water's edge. Prese

n Pond himself. "A man can hear that old fool Spettigew's c

Cap'n?

side of Downend Point. I

ay, C

flint a

Oke beside me, ready with t

ou p-ple

's wr

ir, I've chewed up

s he s

d-dead darkness with my quid o' baccy

hen, that I brought a spare one," spoke up

s ground, you challenge: then count five, and up goes the rocket. Eh?" The Captain swung round a

the new-comer, who was indeed no other than

he pebbles-catch it up under your arm, sir: you're making noise enough to scare the

eve across his clammy brow-"A man might call it ghosts, Captain Pon

ou've seen someth

though not if you was to put the Book into m

lose and gripping him by the upper arm, "wil

and me remembering that Mrs. Nankivel up to the farm was keeping the kettle on the boil, because she promised as much only last night, knowing my stomach to be susceptible. Well, sir, n

ing important to say, say it! In anothe

ever can hear another person sneeze without wanting to sneeze too. Hows'ever, there's a way of stopping it by putting your thumb on your top lip and pressing hard, and that's what I did, and managed to make very little noise; so that it surprised me when somebody said, 'Be quiet, you fool there!' But he must have meant it for the other man. Well, ducking down behind the withies and peeking athurt the darkness, by degrees I made out a picter that raised the very hairs on the back of my neck. Yonder, on the turf under the knap of Little Parc, what do I see but a troop of horseme

ptain Pond, half to hims

statues, as I told myself, at this time o' night! 'Tis o

only one explanation, and Hymen must be warn

two voices on the ridge above called alarm. Under the western cliff

h successor pivots and spreads in echelon to starboard, keeping, as nearly as may be, two fathoms' distance from her consort to port; all gradually, as the shore is approached, rounding up for

d themselves and close the mouth of the Cove. Ahead of him-ahead but a few yards only-he heard the slack tide run faintly on the shingle. From

s! And Saint F

ook the beach. The shock flung the Major forward over the bows; and on all fours, with a splash-like Juliu

! Forwar

, quietly but seriously, stepping forth from the dar

The Major had scrambled to his f

past the Major's guard a

Troy!" The Major struggled

riend now-though you might have

ou are doing your best to

e, I say. Th

wned his voice, rending the darkness. From the rocks to

to the

track, on the surrounding cliffs. As if they had caught fire from it, a score of torches broke into flame on the eastward rocks, and in the sudd

aces. Still from the boats behind fresh reinforcements splashed ashore and crowded into the firing-line: while from the eastward rock the vanguard

rward. Captain Pond, breaking loose from him and facing swiftly towards

ng. As the smoke lifted, however, by the murky glare of the torches they were seen to be less demoralised than infuriated. And n

t is out fo

the

it is out f

! Forwar

o Looes! Steady

to the left! Hurray, boys

! Oh, for your lives, reload!

igew! Mr.

ke plucked him by the sleeve. "What'

ettigew. I've a-fi

u'm a lo

k?" Oke's teeth rattled like a box of dice as he p

' wonder

kill any person

n to anyone in war. At the worst they'll recommen

, Mr. Spettigew? Don't sa

dang it! first of all you swaller the

t have a beginnin

. You'm too frolicsome wi' the materials. Listen, there's Pengelly shoutin

did the "Rout for the Looes" cease midway in a bar? What was it that hushed on an instant the shout

serried ranks of Looe's main guard, did Major Hymen face about and with swo

, out yonder by the Cove's mo

pebble on the beach. The men of Troy, dazzled by the

FR

was echoed on the instant by a sound in the rear of the Diehard

hed forward and caught

whispered. "Run f

oming hoofs thundered louder, close upon their rear, they broke. Trojans and

e! Down to the wate

crowd's pressure and swept along like a chip in a tideway. His feet fought for solid earth. Glancing back as he strugg

ts!" yelled

er!" answered the stentorian voice,

wn to the tide's edge, nor drew rein until their chargers stood fetl

uted the Riding Officer. "And

m he

on all fours. He was dripping wet, but he still clutched his naked blade, and advancing

" he repeat

r you, Hymen; but the gam

ced at him, fo

roop?" he asked, looking first to right, th

a young officer, pressing his hor

ssed it to him obediently; and holding it he scanned the

name

ptain Arbuthnot, o

buthnot, by what right have you a

am acting on trustworthy information.

llie himself int

ing yonder came from two preventive boats. Back-door and front I have you, as neat as a rat

nformation are you and your men taking a part, uninvited, in this evening's-er-p

illicit cargo was to be run here to-night. The Riding Officer's information is precise, and

ils left to lie loose about deck with an artful show of carelessness, and hulls suspiciously deep in the water. He dismounted, caught up a lantern, and scanned them, chuckling in his glee. "See here

le answered from the offing, whe

se-or rather as your informant surmises-these boats should prove to be laden with contraband goods, the men undoubtedly deserve punishment; and I am the less likely to depre

ve it by turning cat-in-the-pan at the last moment, and so I warn you. Come along, lads!" he called to t

ay,

and fetch us out a s

and again the clink of scabbard on boot, silence-dead silence- held t

ng?" called o

ay,

t is

as

ie turned to Captain Arbuthnot in t

e the Chief Boatma

a sample or two ashore here, a

nk it neces

preventive men splashed ashore, trundling a cask along the

, advancing with his arm through his

randy!" he observed, drawi

eyed the cask with momentary suspicion. In shape, in colour, it resembled the tubs in which Guernsey ordinarily exported its eau-de-vie. It was slung, t

asked one of the preventive

's good water at the beach-head; and I dare say your men, Cap

rt sharp blow with his hammer, a sort of trial tap, to guide his aim. "French liquor?"

sh!

f-

ptain Arbuthnot staggered back, clapp

CHAR

PILC

N PILC

left, and from the darkness all around him, a roar of Homeric laughter woke the ec

pen some half a dozen casks-had dropped overboard and were wading ashore, coughing

y have spent a week at least in painting these casks to look like the real thing.... I am sorry, sir, that you and your gallant fellows should have been misled by an officious civi

ther diversion. No one knows who dipped into the cask and flung the first handful over unhappy Mr. Smellie. No one knows who led the charge down upon the boats, or gave the cry to stave in the barrels on board. But in a trice the preventive men were driven overb

ns did not

nd calling on the Gallants to re-form. And as he challenged, by the happies

e De'il

e'il'

awa' wi' th'