THE SMUGGLER. 427 



the still slumbering inhabitants of the cottages and houses 

 round, and warned the women to remove to the neighbouring 

 farms, and the men to come and join their friends at the 

 rendezvous; and a few of the best instructed proceeded to 

 arrange their plan of defence, barricading the gates of the 

 cemetery, and blocking up a stile, which at that time led from 

 the right-hand wall, with an old grave-stone, against which 

 they piled up a heap of earth. 



The vestry, in which the prisoners had been confined, after 

 having been brought from Mr. Broughton's at too late an hour 

 to convey them to gaol, was luckily protected by strong iron 

 bars over the windows, and a heavy plated door between it 

 and the church ; and the old tower of the building afforded a 

 strong point in the position of the villagers, which they flat- 

 tered themselves could not easily be forced. 



" How many men do you think they can muster, Harding?" 

 asked farmer Harris, when their first rude preparations were 

 nearly complete. 



" I can but guess," answered the smuggler; "perhaps two 

 hundred. They had more than that in the Marsh, of whom 

 I hear some fifty were taken or killed; but a good many were 

 not there, who may, and will be here to-day: old Ilamley for 

 one, I should think." 



" Then we had better get into the church when they come," 

 replied the farmer; "they cannot force us there till the sol- 

 diers come." 



"Did you send for them?" asked Harding. 



"Oh, yes!" answered the farmer, "half-an-hour ago. I 

 sent the young boy, who would be of no good here, on the 

 pony ; and I told him to let Sir Robert know, as he passed ; 

 for I thought the soldiers might not meddle if they had not a 

 magistrate with them." 



" Very well," replied Harding, and set himself to work 

 away again. 



Six o'clock was now past, seven approached and went by ; 

 the hand of the dial moved half-way on to eight, and yet 

 nothing indicated the approach of the smugglers. In a few 

 minutes after, however, the sound of horses' feet galloping was 

 heard ; and a young man who had been placed in the belfry 

 to look out, shouted down to those below, "Only twol" and 

 the next moment a horseman in military half dress, with 



