362 THE WRECKERS OF ST. AGNES. 



weed, and hidden by a piece of rock, the body of a Frenchman. I soon 

 saw I had got a prize, for he was loaded with money and trinkets. 

 These I quickly eased him of, seeing as he'd never want 'em ; but to 

 make sure, I hit 'un a good slap over the head just to see whether the 

 life was in 'un or no." Here one or two of the auditors grinned.] 

 " Well, I was just going away, when I see'd a diamond ring on his 

 finger, and the finger being swelled with the water, I cuts it off" [[dis- 

 playing at the same time a knife of rather formidable proportions], " and 

 walks off with my goods. I hadn't gone far, when little Jem runs 

 after, crying, ' Dad, dad ! hit 'un again, dad ! he grin'th, he grin'th !' 

 I looked back, and sure enough that rascally French thief whether it 

 was drawing the blood or not, I don't know but he was moving his 

 arm about, and opening his eyes, as though he were bent on taking the 

 bread out of my mouth. This put me in a precious rage these French- 

 men are always a spiteful set, and hate Englishmen as they hate the 

 devil. So I makes no more ado but I hits 'un a lick with the tail of a 

 rudder laying close by, and I'll warrant me he never come to ask for my 

 goods." 



The miscreant chuckled over this horrid recital with all the self-satis- 

 faction that another might feel at the recollection of a virtuous action ; 

 whilst his companions, to whom no doubt the story was familiar, felt no 

 other sensations of uneasiness at its recapitulation than from the recol- 

 lection that they had not been able to do the same thing. Knox was 

 evidently the ruffian par excellence. I beheld others around me, the 

 expression of whose countenance would have hung them at any bar in 

 England without any other evidence ; yet none ventured to boast of 

 crime ; Knox was the only open professor of villainy, and seemed to 

 claim his right of pre-eminence. I have been in many parts of the 

 world, and have encountered ruffians of every country and grade ; but 

 never before did I have the fortune to hear depravity, and of such a 

 revolting character, so freely confessed, so unblushingly avowed. 



" Well, Knox," said Thomas, after a short pause, " so you have 

 seen Hibbert Shear. How's poor Bill Trecuddick ?" 



Knox placed his finger significantly on his cheek. 



" How," said the other, " dead !" 



" Dead as mackerel," returned Knox ; " you know I was in it, and a 

 sharp brush we had. Poor Bill had three balls in him : he died the 

 same night." A universal expression of sympathy followed this announce- 

 ment, and various were the questions put by different individuals as to 

 the details of his death. It appeared that he was killed in an engage- 

 ment with a revenue cruiser. 



" He was as likely a lad that ever run a cargo," said Thomas ; 

 " where did you bury him ?" 



" Along side of the gauger, I s'pose," said Roberts, who ventured a 

 sidelong glance of malicious meaning, though apparently half-doubtful 

 of the consequences. I never saw so speedy a change in any human 

 being as that remark produced in Knox. In an instant his brow became 

 as black as the storm which now raged with appalling violence from 

 without. 



" What hast thee to do with that, thou pert, meddling coxcomb ?" 

 said he, as he fixed his black eyes, almost concealed by their overhanging 

 brows, on the object of his wrath. " Now mark me, Master Roberts ; 

 play off no more of thy jokes on me. This is not the first time I have 

 warned thee : but it shall be the last." 



