120 THE SMUGGLER. 



" Obi do what you like, sir," replied the farmer. "I don't 

 care." 



A very respectable search was then commenced, and pur- 

 sued from room to room ; one of the men who accompanied 

 Mr. Eadford, and who was an officer of the Customs, giving 

 old Eamley a significant wink with his right eye as he passed, 

 at which the other grinned. Indeed, had the whole matter 

 not been very well understood between the great majority of 

 both parties, it would have been no very pleasant or secure 

 task for any three men in England to enter the kitchen of that 

 farm-house on such an errand. At length, however, Mr 

 Radford and his companions returned to the kitchen, and the 

 magistrate thought fit to walk somewhat out of his way to- 

 wards the left-hand side of the room, when suddenly stopping, 

 he exclaimed, in a grave tone, "Hollo! Ramley, what's here? 

 These boards seem loose!" 



" To be sure they are," answered the farmer; "that's the 

 way to the beer cellar. There's nothing in it, upon my honour 1" 



" But we must look, Ramley, you know," said Mr. Radford. 

 " Come, open it, whatever it is!" 



"Oh! with all my heart," replied the man; "but you'll 

 perhaps break your head. That's your fault, not mine, how- 

 ever," and advancing to the side of the room, he took a crooked 

 bit of iron from his pocket, not unlike that used for pulling 

 stones out of a horse's hoofs, and insinuating it between the 

 skirting-board and the floor, soon raised the trap- door of which 

 we have spoken before. 



A vault of about nine feet deep was now exposed, with the 

 top of a ladder leading into it; and Mr. Radford ordered the 

 men who were with him to go down first. The one who 

 had given old Ramley the wink in passing, descended without 

 ceremony; but the other, who was also an officer, hesitated 

 for a moment. 



" Go down, go down, Clinch!" said Mr. Radford. " You 

 would have a search, and so you shall do it thoroughly." 



The man obeyed, and the magistrate paused a moment to 

 speak with the smuggling farmer, saying, in a low voice, " I 

 don't mind their knowing I'm your friend, Ramley. Let them 

 think about that as they like. Indeed, I'd rather that they 

 did see we understand each other; so give me a hint if they 

 go too far; I'll bear it out," 



