THE SMUGGLER. 229 



tain Irby, making him a sign with his hand as he came near; 

 and the troop with whom Mowle had advanced instantly 

 received the command to charge, while the other, from the 

 hill, came dashing down with headlong speed towards the 

 confused multitude below. 



The smugglers were too late in their manoeuvre. Embar- 

 rassed with a large quantity of goods and a number of men 

 on foot; they had not time to reach the shelter of the garden 

 walls, before the party of dragoons from the hill was amongst 

 them. But still they resisted with fierce determination, 

 formed with some degree of order, gave the troopers a sharp 

 discharge of fire-arms as they came near, and fought hand to 

 hand with them, even after being broken by their charge. 



The greater distance which Captain Irby had to advance, 

 prevented his troop from reaching the scene of strife for a 

 minute or two after the others; but their arrival spread panic 

 and confusion amongst the adverse party ; and after a brief 

 and unsuccessful struggle, in the course of which, one of the 

 dragoons was killed, and a considerable number wounded, 

 nothing was thought of amongst young Radford's band, but 

 how to escape in the presence of such a force. The goods 

 were abandoned; all those men who had horses were seen 

 galloping over the country in different directions; and if any 

 fugitive paused, it was but to turn and fire a shot at one of 

 the dragoons in pursuit. Almost every one of the men on 

 foot was taken ere half an hour was over; and a number of 

 those on horseback were caught and brought back, some 

 desperately wounded. Several were left dead, or dying, on 

 the spot where the first encounter had taken place; and 

 amongst the former, Mowle, with feelings of deep regret, 

 almost approaching remorse, beheld, as he rode up towards 

 the colonel of the regiment, the body of his friend, the major, 

 shot through the head by a pistol- ball. Men of the custom- 

 house officer's character, however, soon console themselves for 

 such things; and Mowle, as he rode on, thought to himself, 

 "After all, it's just as well! He would only have been 

 hanged; so he's had an easier death." 



The young officer in the command of the regiment ot 

 dragoons was seated on horseback, upon the top of a little 

 knoll, with some six or seven persons immediately around him, 

 while two groups of soldiers, dismounted, and guarding a 



