THE SMUGGLER. 115 



love-making seemed rather of a feline character, for the 

 caresses, which were pretty prodigal, were mingled with, we 

 must not say interrupted by, a great deal of grumbling and 

 growling, some scratching, and more than one pat upon the 

 side of the head, which did not come with the gentleness of 

 the western wind. The fare upon the table consisted neither 

 of tea, coffee, cocoa, nor any other kind of weak beverage, but 

 of beef and strong beer : a diet very harmonious with the ap- 

 pearance of the persons who partook thereof. It was sea- 

 soned occasionally with roars of laughter, gay and not very 

 delicate jests, various pieces of fun, which on more than one 

 occasion went to the very verge of an angry encounter, toge- 

 ther with a good many blasphemous oaths, and those testimo- 

 nies of affection which I have before spoken of as liberally 

 bestowed by the young ladies upon their lovers in the shape 

 of cuffs and scratches. The principal topic of conversation 

 seemed to be some adventure which was even then going for- 

 ward, and in which the sons of the house were taking a part. 

 No fear, no anxiety, however, was expressed by any one, 

 though they wondered that Jim and Ned had not yet returned. 



" If they don't come soon they won't get much beef, Tom, 

 if you swallow it at that rate," said the youngest Miss Kam- 

 ley to her sweetheart; "you've eaten two pounds already, 

 I'm sure." 



The young gentleman declared that it was all for love of 

 her, but that he hadn't eaten half so much as she had ; where- 

 upon the damsel became wroth, and appealed to her father, 

 who, for his part, vowed that, between them both, they had 

 eaten and swilled enough to fill the big hog-trough. The dis- 

 pute might have run high, for Miss llamley was not inclined 

 to submit to such observations, even from her father; but just 

 as she was beginning in good set terms, which she had learnt 

 from himself, to condemn her parent's eyes, the old man started 

 up, exclaiming, " Hark I there's a shot out there!" 



" To be sure," answered one of the lovers. " It's the first 

 of September, and all the people are out shooting." 



Even while he was speaking, however, several more shots 

 were heard, apparently too many to proceed from sportsmen 

 in search of game, and the next moment the sound of horses 7 

 feet could be heard running quick upon the road, and then 

 turning into the yard which lay before the house. 



