2 1 4 THE SMUGGLER. 



Harding himself remained ashore; and turning to one or 

 two of those about him, he asked, " What was all that red 

 blaze I saw half over the country?" 



"None of us can tell," answered young Radford. "The 

 moment the fire at Tolsford was lighted, a dozen more were 

 flaming up, all along to Dungeness." 



"That's devilish strange!" said Harding. "It does not 

 look well. How many men have you got with you, Mr. 

 Eadford?" 



" Why, well nigh upon two hundred," answered Ned 

 Ramley, for his comrade. 



"Ah, then you'll do!" answered Harding, with a laugh; 

 " but still you won't be the worse for some more. So I and 

 some' of the lads will see you safe across the Marsh. The 

 customs have got nothing at sea about here; so the boats 

 will be safe enough." 



"Thank you, Harding; thank you, Jack;" said several of 

 the voices. " Once out of the Marsh, with all these ditches 

 and things, and we shall do very well. How far are the 

 luggers off?" 



" Not a hundred fathom," answered Harding. " I would 

 have run them ashore if there had been any capstan here to 

 have drawn them np. But they won't be a minute, so have 

 everything ready. Move off those horses that are loaded, a 

 bit, my lads, and bring up the others." 



Harding's minute, however, extended to nearly ten, and 

 then the boats were again perceived approaching, and the 

 same process was followed as before. The third trip was 

 then made with equal success and ease. Not the slightest 

 difficulty occurred, not the slightest obstruction was offered; 

 the number of packages was declared to be complete, the 

 horses were all loaded, and the party began to move off in a 

 long line, across the Marsh, like a caravan threading the 

 mazes of the desert. 



Leaving a few men with the boats that were ashore, 

 Harding and the rest of the seamen, with Mr. Radford, and 

 several of his party, brought up the rear of the smugglers, 

 talking over the events which had taken place, and the course 

 of their farther proceedings. All seemed friendly and good- 

 humoured ; but there is such a thing as seeming, even amongst 

 smugglers, and if Harding could have seen the real feelings of 



