The Brighton of my Boyhood 



Instance the poor fellow that brought it 

 over was fuming his heart out in Lewes 

 gaol. 



When a boat laden with such a cargo 

 was expected, the word was passed from 

 one to another of the smuggling brother- 

 hood — often to Innkeepers and others in 

 inland villages — that on such a night they 

 would be wanted at such a point along the 

 shore. When she came in they were 

 ready for her, an eager group unlading 

 with all possible speed : some of them, 

 armed with long clubs or "bats," stood on 

 guard around them in a formidable ring. 

 Did the coastguard and his little company 

 appear, these would begin swinging their 

 bats, rendering all approach impossible. 

 For it must be remembered that the law 

 forbade the coastguardsmen to fire until 

 they had lost a man. 



One of them, a fine kindly fellow, told 

 me how helpless and foolish he felt with 

 the work going on under his very nose. 

 " I might not fire," he said, "and quite 

 right too ; and I could not send a man in 

 among them, as a blow from one of those 

 bats meant certain death." He had had 

 to endure a deal of rough pleasantry from 

 these audacious fellows, he said. 



" I advise you to get along home to 

 i6 



