THE SMUGGLER. 131 



dow into the street, some leaning with their backs against the 

 table and the tails of their coats turned over their hands, while 

 one occupied an arm-chair placed sideways at the board, with 

 one knee thrown over the other : a favourite position which he 

 could not have assumed had he sat with his face to the table. 



The latter was Sir Robert Croyland, who had been sent for 

 in haste by his brother justices, to take part in their proceed- 

 ings relative to a daring act of smuggling which had just been 

 perpetrated. Sir Robert would willingly have avoided giving 

 his assistance upon this occasion ; but the summons had been 

 so urgent that he could not refuse going; and he was now not 

 a little angry to find that there were more than sufficient 

 justices present to make a quorum, and to transact all the ne- 

 cessary business. Some one, however, it would seem, had, as 

 usual in all county arrangements, been very busy in pressing 

 for as full an attendance as possible; and those who knew the 

 characters of the gentlemen assembled might have perceived 

 that the great majority of them were not very well qualified 

 to sit as judges upon a case of this nature, as almost every 

 one was under suspicion of leaning towards the side of the 

 smugglers, most of them having at some time engaged more 

 or less in the traffic which they were called upon to stop. 



Sir Robert Croyland was the least objectionable in this point 

 of view; for lie had always borne a very high name for im- 

 partiality in such matters, and had never had anything per- 

 sonally to do with the illicit traffic itself. It is probable, there- 

 fore, that he was sent for to give a mere show of justice to the 

 proceedings, for Mr. Radford was expected to be there; and 

 it was a common observation of the county gentlemen, that the 

 latter could now lead Sir Robert as he liked. Mr. Radford, 

 indeed, had not yet arrived, though two messengers had been 

 despatched to summon him; the answer still being that he had 

 gone over towards Ashford. Sir Robert, therefore, sat in the 

 midst, not harmonizing much in feeling with the rest, and 

 looking anxiously for his friend's appearance, in order to ob- 

 tain some hint as to how he was to act. 



At length, a considerable noise was heard in the streets 

 below, and a sort of constable door-keeper presented himself, 

 to inform the magistrates that the officers and dragoons had 

 arrived, bringing in several prisoners. An immediate bustle 

 took place, the worshipful gentlemen beginning to seat them- 



