158 WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



after they had entered the copse he replaced it ; and 

 as the riders did not return in the same direction 

 from which they had come, the old humbug had 

 had plenty of time to mend up the bank and to 

 work himself up into an edifying condition of 

 fright. 



One thing I knew well as a boy, although we 

 never talked of it some of those tidal mills had 

 large square openings close to the sides of the 

 great wheels, and a trap-door in the floor above 

 opening on to them. Apparently these were there 

 in order that, when they swept up the mill-floor 

 above, all the dust could be swept down by that 

 way into the water below ; but I have heard some 

 of the old men and women chuckle together, in 

 later times, as they hinted at the uses to which 

 some of these places were put. 



Although I have spoken lightly here of what might 

 be called the more harmless side of contraband, it is 

 certain that there were some in our community who 

 carried dark secrets to their graves with them. It 

 was wonderful, though, how these " unairthly sights " 

 ceased to alarm the folks after the new police regu- 

 lations came into force. 



