THE SMUGGLER* 177 



inform, and that he'll wring his liver out, as soon as this job 

 of his father's is over. 



A torrent of blasphemies poured forth by almost every per- 

 son present followed, and they alt called down the most horrid 

 condemnation on their own heads, if they did not each lend a 

 hand to punish the informer. In the midst of this storm of 

 big words, Galley Eay put her mouth to the major's ear, say- 

 ing, "I could tell young Radford how he could ring his heart 

 out, and that's better than his liver. There's no use of trying 

 to kill him, for he doesn't care two straws about that. Sharp 

 steel and round lead are what he looks for every day. But I 

 could show you how to plague him worse." 



"Why, you old brute," replied the major, "you're a friend 

 of his ! But you may tell him if you like. We have all 

 sworn it, and we'll do it; only hold your tongue till after to- 

 morrow night, or I'll cure your bacon for you." 



"I'm no friend of his," cried Galley Ray. "The infernal 

 devil, wasn't it he that shot my girl, Meg? Ay, ay, I know 

 he says he didn't, and that he didn't fire a pistol that day, but 

 kept all to the cutlash; but he did, I'm sure, and a-purpose, 

 too; for didn't he turn-to that morning, and abuse her like 

 the very dirt under his feet, because she came, a little in 

 liquor, down to his boat-side? Ay, I'll have my revenge. 

 I've been looking for it long, but now it's a- coming, it's 

 a-coming very fast; and afore I've done with him, I'll wring 

 him out like a wet cloth, till he's not got one pleasure left in 

 his whole carcass, nor one thing to look to, for as long as he 

 may live! Ay, ay, he thinks an old woman nothing; but he 

 shall see, he shall see ;' ? and the beldame wagged her fright- 

 ful head backwards and forwards with a look of well-contented 

 malice, that made it more horrible than ever. 



"What an old devil!" cried the major, glancing round the 

 table with a look of mock surprise; and then they all burst 

 into a roar of laughter which shook the miserable hovel in 

 which they sat. 



" Come, granny, give us some more lush, and leave off 

 preaching," cried Ned Ramley, the man with the cut upon his 

 brow. "You can tell it all to Dick Radford, to-morrow; for 

 he's fond of cutting up people's hearts." 



" But how is it; how is it?' ? asked the major. " I should 

 like to hear. 



