THE SMUGGLER. 213 



"Ned Ramleyl'' cried young Radford. 



" Here I am, sir," answered a voice close at hand. 



" Whereas the major?'' ^ 



"Majorl major!" shouted Ramley. 



" Coming,' 7 answered a voice at some distance. " Stand 

 by him, and do as I told you!'' 



"What's the matter?" demanded Richard Radford, as the 

 major came up. 



"Oh, nothing, sir!" replied the other; "only a man I 

 found lurking about. He says he's willing to help; but I 

 thought it best to set a watch upon him, as I don't know him." 



" That was right,'' said the young gentleman. " But, hark 1 

 there are the oars!'' And the sound of the regular sweep, 

 and the shifting beat of the oar against the rowlocks, wag dis- 

 tinctly heard by all present. Some of the men waded down 

 into the water, there being very little sea running, and soon, 

 through the mist, six boats of a tolerable size could be seen 

 pulling hard towards the land. In another moment, amidst 

 various cries and directions, they touched the shore. Several 

 men jumped out of each into the water, and a number of the 

 party which had come down to meet them, running in, caught 

 hold of the ropes that were thrown out of the boats, and with 

 marvellous rapidity they were drawn up till they were high 

 and dry. 



"Ah, Harding, is that you?" said young Radford, ad- 

 dressing the smuggler, who had been steering the largest 

 boat. " This is capitally managed. You are even earlier 

 than I expected, and we shall get far into the country before 

 daylight." 



"We were obliged to use the sweeps, sir," said Harding, 

 bluntly; "but don't let's talk. Get the things out, and load 

 the horses; for we shall have to make two more trips back to 

 the luggers before they are all cleared." 



Everything was now bustle and activity; a number of bales 

 and packages were taken out of the boats arid placed upon 

 the horses in one way or another, not always the most con- 

 venient to the poor animals; and as soon as Harding had 

 made Mr. Radford count the number of the articles landed, 

 the boats were launched off again to some larger vessels, 

 which it seems were lying out at a little distance, though 

 indiscernible in the fog. 



