62 THE SMUGGLER. 



not tell yet. The Ramleys, certainly, amongst the rest. They 

 are always ready, and will either fight or run, as it may be 

 needed.'' 



"I don't much like them," replied Harding; " they are a 

 bad set. I wish they were hanged, or out of the country ; 

 for, as you say, they will either fight, or run, or peach, or any- 

 thing else that suits them: one just as soon as another." 



"Oh! no fear of that; no fear of that!'' exclaimed Mr. 

 Radford, in a confident tone, which seemed somewhat strange 

 to the ears of his companion, after the suspicions he had heard 

 him so lately express; but the other instantly added, in ex- 

 planation, " I shall take care that they have no means of 

 peaching, for I will tell them nothing about it till they are 

 setting off with fifty or sixty others." 



" That's the best way, and the only way with such fellows 

 as those," answered Harding; "but if you tell nobody, you'll 

 find it a hard job to get them all together." 



" Only let the day be fixed," said Mr. Radford; " and I'll 

 have all ready, never fear.'' 



" That must be your affair," replied Harding; " I'm ready 

 whenever you like. Give me a dark night and a fair wind, 

 and my part of the job is soon done." 



"About this day week, I should think," said Mr. Radford. 

 " The moon will be nearly out by that time." 



"Not much more than half," replied the smuggler; " and 

 as we have got to go far, for the ship, you say, will not stand 

 in, we had better have the whole night to ourselves. Even a 

 bit of a moon is a bad companion on such a trip ; especially 

 where there is so much money risked. No, I think you had 

 better give me three days more: then there will be wellnigh 

 nothing left of her, and she won't rise till three or four. Wo 

 can see what the weather's like, too, about that time; and I 

 can come up and let you know; but if you'll take my advice, 

 Mr. Radford, you'll not be coining down here any more till it'* 

 all over at least. There's no good of it, and it may do 

 mischief." 



" Well, now it's all settled, I shall not need to do so," re- 

 joined the other; " but I really don't see, Harding, why you 

 should so much wish me to stay away." 



" I'll tell you why, Mr. Radford," said Harding, putting his 

 hands into the pockets of his jacket, "and that very easily. 



