34 THE SMUGGLER. 



and then starting up suddenly, he thanked God for what ho 

 had given him, took up his hat and turned towards the door. 



" I am going out, Osborn," he said, " for 1117 evening walk. 

 Will you come with me?" 



" Willingly for half an hour," answered the young officer, 

 and, telling the landlord as he passed that he would be back 

 by the time that his room was ready, he accompanied his 

 eccentric acquaintance out into the streets of Hythe, and thence 

 through some narrow walks and lanes, to the sea-shore. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE sky was clear and bright; the moonlight was sleeping in 

 dream -like splendour upon the water, and the small waves, 

 thrown up by the tide more than the wind, came rippling along 

 the beach like a flood of diamonds. All was still and silent in 

 the sky and upon the earth ; and the soft rustle of the waters 

 upon the shore seemed but to say " Hush!" as if nature feared 

 that any louder sound should interrupt her calm repose. To the 

 west, stretched out the faint low line of coast towards Dunge- 

 ness, and to the east appeared the high cliffs near Folkestone 

 and Dover, grey and solemn; while the open heaven above 

 looked down with its tiny stars and lustrous moon upon the 

 wide extended sea, glittering in the silver veil cast over her 

 sleeping bosom from on high. 



Such was the scene presented to the eyes of the two wan- 

 derers when they reached the beach, a little way on the Sand- 

 gate side of Hythe, and both paused to gaze upon it for several 

 minutes in profound silence. 



" This is indeed a night to walk forth upon the sands," said 

 the young officer at length. "It seems to- me, that of all the 

 many scenes from which man can derive both instruction and 

 comfort, in the difficulties and troubles of life, there is none so 

 elevating, so strengthening, as that presented by the sea shore 

 on a moonlight night. To behold that mighty element, so fall 

 of destructive and of beneficial power, lying tranquilly within 

 the bound which God affixed to it, and to remember the words, 

 4 Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, and here shall thy 

 proud waves be stopped,' affords so grand an illustration of 

 his might, so fine a proof of the truth of his promises, that 



