THE SMUGGLER. 1 1 9 



"It's wonderful, in London town, how soon a man may hold, 

 By art and sleight, 

 Or main or might, 

 A pretty sum of gold ; 



Yet give me but a pistol, and one rich squire or two, 

 A moonlight night, a yellow chaise, and the high road will do." 



This was not the last song that was sung; but that which 

 followed was interrupted by one of the pseudo -labourers 

 coming in from the yard, to say that there was a hard 

 knocking at the gate. 



"I think it is Mr. Radford 's voice," added the man, "but I'm 

 riot sure; and I did not like to get up into the cart to look." 



"Run up stairs to the window, Jinny!" cried old Ramley, 

 " and you'll soon see." 



His daughter did, on this occasion, as she was bid, and 

 soon called down from above, "It's old Radford, sure enough; 

 but he's got two men with him!" 



"It's ail right, if he's there," said Jim Ramley; and the 

 gates were opened in a minute, to give that excellent gentle- 

 man admission. 



Now, Mr. Radford, it must be remembered, was a magis- 

 trate for the county of Kent ; but his presence created neither 

 alarm nor confusion in the house of the Ramleys ; and when 

 he entered, leaving his men in the court for a minute, he said, 

 with a laugh, holding the father of that hopeful family by the 

 arm, "I've come to search, and to stop the others. Where 

 are the goods?" 



" Safe enough," answered the farmer. " No fear, no fear 1" 



"But can we look under the trap?" asked Mr. Radford, 

 who seemed as well acquainted with the secrets of the place 

 as the owner thereof. 



"Ay, ayl" replied the old man. "Don't leave 'em too 

 long; that's all." 



"I'll go down myself," said Radford; " they've got scent 

 of it, or I wouldn't find it out." 



"All right, all right!" rejoined the other, in a low voice; 

 and the magistrate, raising his tone, exclaimed, " Here, 

 Clinch and Adams; you two fools, why don't you come in? 

 They say there is nothing here; but we must search. We 

 must not take any man's word; not to say that I doubt yours, 

 Mr. Ramley; but it is necessary, you know." 



