THE SMUGGLER. 267 



"Oh! dear, sir, it isn't for that," said Mrs. Clare. "Kate 

 and I will both be very glad, indeed, to show our gratitude 

 for your kindness. It is seldom poor people have the oppor- 

 tunity; and I am sure, after good Sir Robert Croyland, we 

 owe more to you than to any body." 



"Sir Robert has been kind to you, I believe, Mrs. Clare!" 

 replied Mr. Radford, with a peculiar expression of countenance. 

 "Well he may be! He has not always been so kind to you 

 and yours." 



" Pray, sir, do not speak a word against Sir Robert," an- 

 swered the widow; "though he sometimes used to speak 

 rather cross and angrily in former times, yet since my poor 

 husband's death nothing could be more kind than he has been. 

 I owe him everything, sir." 



"Ay, it's all very well, Mrs. Clare, " replied Mr. Radford, 

 shaking his head with a doubtful smile; "it's all very well! 

 However, I do not intend to say a word against Sir Robert 

 Croyland. He's my very good friend, you know; and it's all 

 very well. Now, let us talk about the place where you or 

 Kate are to go ; but, above all things, remember that you must 

 not utter a word about it to any one, either now or hereafter, 

 for it might be the ruin of us all if you did." 



"Oh, no! not for the world, sir!" answered Mrs. Clare. 

 " I know such places are not to be talked about; and nobody 

 shall ever hear anything about it from us.' 3 



" Well, then," continued Mr. Radford, " you know the way 

 up to Harbourne House, through the gardens. There's the 

 little path to the right; and then, half way up that, there's 

 one to the left, which brings you to the back of the stables. 

 It goes between two sandy banks, you may recollect; and 

 there's a little pond with a willow growing over it, and some 

 bushes at the back of the willow. Well, just behind these 

 bushes there is a deep hole in the bank, high enough to let a 

 man stand upright in it, when he gets a little way down. It 

 would make a famous hide if there were a better horse-path 

 up to it, and sometimes it has been used for small things such 

 as a man can carry on his back. Now, from what I have 

 heard, my boy Richard must be in there ; for his horse was 

 found, it seems, not above two or three hundred yards from 

 the house, broken-knee'd and knocked -up. If any one should 

 follow you as you go, and make inquiries, you must say that 



