176 THE SMUGGLER. 



To each and all Galley Ray had something to say in their 

 own particular way. To some she was civil and coaxing, ad- 

 dressed them as "gentlemen," and to others slang and abusive, 

 though quite in good humour, calling them, "you blackguards," 

 and " you varmint," with sundry other delectable epithets, 

 which I shall forbear to transcribe. 



To give value to her entertainment, she of course started 

 every objection and difficulty in the world against receiving 

 them, asking how, in the name of the fiend, they could expect 

 her to take in so many? where she was to get porringers or 

 plates for them all? and hoping heartily that such a troop 

 weren't going to stay above half-an-hour. 



" Till to-morrow night, Galley, my chicken," replied the 

 major. " Come, don't make a fuss. It must be so, and you 

 shall be well paid. We shall stay in here to-night ; and to- 

 morrow we shall take to cover in the wood; but young Rad- 

 ford will come down some time in the day, and then you must 

 send up Little Starlight to us to let me know." 



The matter of the supper was soon arranged to their con- 

 tentment. Some had tea-cups, and some saucers; some had 

 ear them pans, some wooden platters. Two were honoured 

 with china plates; and the large pot being taken off the fire, 

 and set on the ground in the midst of them, each helped him- 

 self, and went on with his meal. A grand brewing of smug- 

 gled spirits and water then commenced ; and a number of horn 

 cups were handed round, not enough, indeed, for all the guests ; 

 but each vessel was made to serve two or three; and the first 

 silence of hunger being over, a wild, rambling, and desultory 

 conversation ensued, to which both Galley Ray and her grand- 

 son lent an attentive ear. 



The major said something to the man with the cut upon his 

 brow, to which the other replied, by condemning his own soul, 

 in energetic terms, if he did not blow Harding's brains out, 

 if it were true. "But I don't believe it," he continued. 

 "He's no friend of mine; but he's not such a blackguard as 

 to peach." 



"So I think; but Dick Radford says he is sure he did," 

 answered the major; "Dick fancies that he's jealous of not 

 having had yesterday's job, too, and that's why he spoiled it. 

 We know he was up about that part of the country, on the 

 pretence of his seeing his Dolly ; but Radford says he went to 



