THE SMUGGLER. 93 



rose from his bed ; " what variations there are in this climate 1" 

 But, nevertheless, he opened the window and looked out, when, 

 somewhat to his surprise, he saw fifteen or sixteen horses 

 moving along the road, heavily laden, with a number of men 

 on horseback following, and eight or ten on foot driving the 

 weary beasts along. They were going leisurely enough; 

 there was no affectation of haste or concealment; but yet all 

 that the young officer had heard of the county and of the 

 habits of its denizens, led him naturally to suppose that he had 

 a gang of smugglers before him, escorting from the coast some 

 contraband goods lately landed. 



He had soon a more unpleasant proof of the lawless state of 

 that part of England ; for as he continued to lean out of the 

 window, saying to himself, " Well, it is no business of mine," 

 he saw two or three of the men pause; and a moment after, a 

 voice shouted, " Take that, old Ooyland, for sending me to 

 jail last April." 



The wind bore the sounds to his ear, and made the words 

 distinct; and scarcely had they been spoken, when a flash 

 broke through the misty air, followed by a loud report, and a 

 ball whizzed through the window, just above his head, break- 

 ing one of the panes of glass, and lodging in the cornice at the 

 other side of the room. 



"Very pleasant!' 7 said Sir Edward Digby to himself; but 

 he was a somewhat rash young man, and he did not move an 

 inch, thinking, " the vagabonds shall not have to say they 

 frightened me." 



They showed no inclination to repeat the shot, however, but 

 rode on at a somewhat accelerated pace ; and as soon as they 

 were out of sight, Digby withdrew from the window and 

 began to dress himself. He had not given his servant, the 

 night before, any orders to call him at a particular hour; but 

 he knew that the man would not be later than half-past six ; 

 and before he appeared, the young officer was nearly dressed. 



" Here, Somers," said his master, " put my gun together, 

 and have everything ready if I should like to go out to shoot. 

 After that, I've a commission for you ; something quite in your 

 own way, which I know you will execute capitally." 



" Quite ready, sir," said the man, putting up his hand to 

 his head. " Always ready to obey orders." 



" We want intelligence of the enemy, Somers," continued 



