THE SMUGGLER. 1 1 7 



escaped unpursued, it would seem, had not the younger 

 brother, Ned, determined to give one of the dragoons a shot 

 before he went: thus bringing on the encounter in which he 

 had received the wound on his head. 



While all this was being told to the father, the two girls, 

 their lovers, the farm-servants, and several of the men, hurried 

 the smuggled goods into the house, and raising a trap in the 

 floor of the kitchen contrived in such a manner that four 

 whole boards moved up at once on the western side of the 

 room stowed the different articles away in places of conceal- 

 ment below, so well arranged that even if the trap was dis- 

 covered, the officers would find nothing but a vacant space, 

 unless they examined the walls very closely. 



The horses were then all led to the stable; and Edward 

 Ramley, having in some degree stopped the bleeding of his 

 wound, moved into the house, with most of the other men. 

 Old Ramley and the two farm-servants, however, remained 

 without, occupying themselves in loading a cart with manure, 

 till the sound of horses galloping down was heard, and some- 

 body shook the gates violently, calling loudly to those within 

 to open "in the king's name." 



The farmer instantly mounted upon the cart, and looked 

 over the wall; but the party before the gates consisted only 

 of five or six dragoons, of whom he demanded, in a bold tone, 

 "Who the devil be you, that I should open for you? Go 

 away, go away, and leave a quiet man at peace 1" 



"If you don't open the gates, we'll break them down," said 

 one of the men. 



"Do, if you dare," answered old Ramley, boldly; "and if 

 you do, I'll shoot the best of you dead. Bring me my guri, 

 Tom. Where's your warrant, young man? You are not an 

 officer, and you've got none with you, so I shan't let any 

 boiled lobsters enter my yard, I can tell you." 



By this time he was provided with the weapon he had sent 

 for; and one of his men, similarly armed, had got into the 

 cart beside him. The appearance of resistance was rather 

 ominous, and the dragoons were well aware that if they did 

 succeed in forcing an entrance, and blood were spilt, the whole 

 responsibility would rest upon themselves if no smuggled 

 goods should be found, as they had neither warrant nor any 

 officer of the customs with them. 



