"At all events, I intend to go over to-morrow morning, and inquire what has happened to him," I said. "I don"t remember making any remarks which would lead you Aunt Deb, to suppose that he was otherwise than a well-conducted fellow. He seems much attached to his family, and they"re evidently very fond of him."
"Perhaps his father spoils him as other parents are apt to do," remarked Aunt Deb, glancing at the Vicar. "The sooner you break off your intimacy with him the better in my opinion--and now you are aware of my sentiments."
The latter was a remark Aunt Deb usually made at the conclusion of an argument, by which she intended it to be understood that her opinion was not to be disputed.
Next morning, without waiting for breakfast, taking only a crust of bread and a cup of milk, I set off, anxious to learn what had happened to my friend Mark. On nearing the cottage I saw Mary at the door.
"Oh! Master d.i.c.k, I"m so glad you"re come," she exclaimed. "Father and mother are in a great taking. Mark has got into trouble. When he went out yesterday evening he met Jack Quilter and Tom Ba.s.s, and they persuaded him to go shooting where he ought not to have gone, and all three were caught by Sir Reginald"s keepers. They had a fight for it, and Quilter and Ba.s.s knocked one of the keepers down, and would have treated him worse if Mark had not interfered. Three other keepers coming up, they were all carried off to the Hall, where they have been locked up ever since. Father only heard of it yesterday evening after you went. He at once set off to try and see Sir Reginald, and he only got back late last night, or rather this morning, so he has only just now got up. He said that the Squire was very savage with him, and threatened to send Mark off to sea. It was with great difficulty that father got leave to see Mark, who told him how he had saved the keeper"s life, but the Squire would not believe it, and said that he had been caught poaching, and must take the consequences."
"I"m very sorry to hear this," I said to Mary; "but don"t despair of your brother getting off. I"ll ask my father to plead for him; and if he won"t do that, I"ll go myself and tell the Squire what a capital fellow Mark is. It would be a shame to send him to sea against his will, although he might be ready enough to go of his own accord."
After I had talked the matter over with Mary for some time, I went into the cottage, where I found Mrs Riddle looking very downcast, and soon afterwards old Roger made his appearance. He repeated what Mary had said, and added that he intended to engage the services of Lawyer Roe to defend Mark, though the expenses would be greater than he could well bear. I was afraid, however, that Lawyer Roe could do nothing for Mark, taken as he had been with a gun in his hands, in Sir Reginald"s preserves, should the baronet resolve to prosecute. I again offered to go off at once to see Sir Reginald. I however much doubted that my father would undertake the mission, especially as Aunt Deb would endeavour to persuade him to have nothing to do with the matter. Mrs Riddle and Mary pressed me to take some breakfast, which they had just prepared, and as by this time I was very hungry, I gladly accepted their invitation. As it was important to get early to the Hall, directly breakfast was over I started, resolved to employ every means I could to get Mark liberated. It didn"t occur to me that probably Sir Reginald would pay no attention to my request, or that he would consider my interference as a piece of impertinence. I made up my mind to speak boldly and forcibly, and felt very confident that I should gain my object. Old Roger accompanied me part of the way, but he thought it was better not to be seen near the Hall, lest it should be supposed I had been influenced by him. I was but a little fellow, it must be remembered, and without any experience of the world, or my hopes would not have risen so high.
"Never fear, Mr Riddle," said I, as I parted from the old sailor.
"I"ll manage, by hook or by crook, to get Mark set free, so tell Mrs Riddle and Mary to keep up their spirits."
When I reached the Hall, I walked boldly up to the front porch, and gave a st.u.r.dy pull at the bell. A powdered footman opened the door. In a firm voice I asked to see Sir Reginald.
"He is at breakfast."
"Then say Mr Richard Cheveley has called, and begs to see him on an important matter."
The footman gave an equivocal smile down at me, and went into the breakfast-room at one side of the Hall.
I heard a lady"s voice say--
"Oh! Do let him come in."
The servant reappearing, showed me into the breakfast-room, in which several ladies were at one end of a well-covered table. Lady Knowsley was seated, presiding at the tea-urn, with several young ladies on either side, and Sir Reginald at the foot.
I made my bow as I entered. Lady Knowsley held out her hand without rising, and Sir Reginald turned partly round in his chair and gave me a nod, then went on eating his breakfast, while the young ladies smiled.
The footman placed a chair for me in a vacant place at the table.
"You have had a long walk, and must be ready for breakfast," said Lady Knowles, in a kind tone.
"Thank you, I took some on my way," I answered, not wishing to loose time by having to repeat an operation I felt that I could not perform in the presence of so many young ladies with my accustomed appet.i.te.
"You must have got up another appet.i.te by this time," observed Sir Reginald. "Come youngster! Here is an egg and some ham. Julia, cut him a slice of bread, and Lady Knowles will supply you with tea. Fall to, now, and let me see what sort of a man you are."
Thus pressed, I was compelled to eat what was set before me, which I did without any great difficulty. Sir Reginald was too polite to ask me the object of my visit till I had finished. He pressed me to take more, but I declined, and I then told him that I had heard that Mark Riddle had been taken poaching with some other lads who had led him astray.
"That is your opinion, Master Cheveley," observed Sir Reginald, with a laugh; "why the fellow is the most arrant young poacher in the neighbourhood. My people have been aware of it for a long time, but have hitherto been unable to capture him."
"I hope that they are mistaken, Sir Reginald," I observed; "I have seen a good deal of Mark Riddle, and his father is a very fine old sailor."
"He may be that, although I have reason to believe that he is, besides, as determined a smuggler as any on the coast, though he is too cunning to be caught," answered the baronet. "No, no, Master Cheveley; young Mark must be sent to prison unless he is allowed as a favour to go to sea instead."
I was determined not to be defeated, notwithstanding what the baronet had said. I still pleaded for Mark, and the ladies, who are generally ready to take the weaker side joined with me.
"Suppose he is guilty. He is very young. If he would promise not to poach again, will it not be kind to let him off?" said Lady Knowles.
"It would be kinder to give him a lesson which he will not forget," said Sir Reginald; "notwithstanding all his promises, he would be certain to poach again. He might end by killing a keeper, and have to be sent to the gallows, as has been the fate of many. Poachers and smugglers must be put down at all costs."
In spite of my intention to persevere, I found that I hadn"t the slightest chance of moving the feelings of the baronet. I, however, supported by the ladies, got leave to pay Mark a visit, and I learned from them that he and the other men were not to be sent off to prison until the following day, when the constables would come to carry them away. I stayed for some time, the young ladies chatting pleasantly with me, till at length thinking that I ought to take my departure, I asked to be allowed to go to Sir Reginald"s study, to obtain an order for me to visit Mark.
"I"ll get it for you," said Miss Julia; "we all feel compa.s.sion for the poor lad, who has evidently been led astray by bad companions." In a short time she returned, with an order to the constable in charge of the prisoners.
Thanking her very much, and wishing her and her sisters and Lady Knowles good-bye, I hastened round to the back of the house, where the lock-up room was situated.
The constable, on seeing the order, admitted me without hesitation.
"Well, Master d.i.c.k, this is kind of you to come and see me when I"m in trouble," said Mark, immediately stretching out his hand. "From what I hear, it will go hard with me."
I asked him if he could not prove that he had been misled by others, and would promise not to go poaching again.
"No; that I can"t, either one or the other," he answered promptly. "I went of my own free will, and if I was let out, as long as I had a gun and powder and shot, I should go and make use of it. But I don"t want to go to prison; and if I"m sent to sea, I should like to choose how and when I am to go."
"You must find it very dull work sitting here all day, having nothing to do," I remarked. "Would you like to make some blocks? I have got some wood and a sharp knife, with a saw and file, in my pocket. It will be better than doing nothing."
Mark gave a sharp look in my face, and said--
"Yes, that I should. I never like to have my hands idle. You shall have the blocks for your cutter when I have finished them."
Thinking only of the amus.e.m.e.nt it would afford Mark, I handed him out the necessary tools, and promised to obtain some more wood for him to work on should he be sent to prison. The other two men were lying down, apparently asleep, while I paid my visit to Mark. They took no notice of me. After I left, instead of going directly home, I returned to old Roger, that I might report the ill-success of my visit to Sir Reginald.
"I feared it would be so from the first," said Roger. "A prison is a bad place for a boy, and I"d rather he had been sent off to sea."
"I"ll ask my father to try what he can do, though I"m afraid he"ll not be more successful than I have been."
"Do, Master d.i.c.k," said Mrs Riddle. "We should not let any stone remain unturned. I would not have our Mark sent to prison for anything.
It would be the ruin of the boy."
I of course promised to do my best. It was getting late in the day, for I had spent a considerable time at the Hall, and a further period had been occupied in getting to old Roger"s cottage. Mrs Riddle insisted on my stopping to take tea, and as I had had no dinner I was very glad to accept her invitation. I remained on afterwards for some time, talking to the old sailor, so that it was pretty late when I at length set out to return home. As I had told Ned where I was going I knew that they would not be anxious about me, and therefore did not hurry my steps. I had got about half way, when feeling tired I sat myself down to rest, with my back against the side of an old barn, at a spot whence I could obtain a good view of the sea. I sat for some time watching the vessels pa.s.sing up and down channel, and observing a few boats putting out for their night"s fishing from Leighton Cove. The weather was warm, and I was sheltered from the light breeze which blew off the land. I had been on foot all day since early dawn, and very naturally became drowsy. Instead of at once jumping up I sat on, and in consequence fell fast asleep. When I awoke I found that the sun had set, and that the daylight was fast departing. I was just going to get up, when I heard voices proceeding from the inside of the barn. Though not intending to play the part of an eavesdropper, I could not help listening to what they said. The men spoke in low voices, so that I didn"t catch everything, but I heard enough to convince me that the speakers were smugglers arranging a spot where a cargo was to be run the first night when there would be no moon, and the wind blowing off sh.o.r.e. As far as I could make out, it was to be close to where I then was. Below me was a little sandy bay, where the boats could come ash.o.r.e even should there be a heavy sea running outside.
One of the speakers, whom I knew to be Ned Burden, lived in a cottage hard by, and he was to show a light in his window should the coast be clear. At present the weather was far too favourable for their purpose, but they counted on a change in four or five days. At last I heard them fix on the following Wednesday. I was afraid of moving lest the smugglers should hear me, and I knew that if they discovered my whereabout they would look upon me as a spy, especially as everybody was aware of the way my father, had been speaking against smuggling. Still they went on talking, and I heard some more of their designs.
In order to draw off the Revenue-men from the spot, it was proposed to set one or two hayricks on fire at a large farm near Sandgate, when it was supposed that they would collect to try and extinguish the flames, so as to prevent the fire communicating with the other surrounding ricks. As this was sure to be no easy work, it was calculated that the smugglers would have time to run the cargo, and carry the goods away into the interior. It was an opportunity I had long been looking for.
I could now, by giving the information I possessed, secure the favour of Sir Reginald, and thus induce him to further my object. I sat on, scarcely daring to breathe, lest I should be heard, and heartily wishing that the men would go away. They had evidently, however, met there for the purpose of discussing various subjects. Ned Burden probably didn"t wish to go far from home, and apparently was unwilling to receive his visitors in his own cottage. He had therefore fixed upon this spot. At last I began to think that they intended to spend the night there. I heard footsteps approaching, and I now feared that I should be discovered; but the new comers followed the path which led to the opposite side of the barn to that where I was sitting. I judged by the voices that there were three of them. They once more went over the matters that the others had before discussed, having apparently no fear of being overheard. They all spoke in their ordinary voices, only occasionally dropping them. "Now is the time," I thought, "of making my escape; while they are talking they will not hear me, and I may creep away to a distance without being discovered." I put my plan into execution. The men continued talking on; their voices sounded fainter and fainter as I got farther away from the barn. Fancying that I was safe, I at last rose to my feet, intending to run as fast as my legs could carry me. Scarcely, however, had I began to move forward, when I heard a shout, followed by the sound of footsteps. I fully expected, should the smugglers fancy that I had overheard them to get a knock on the head if I was overtaken. I had always been tolerably fleet of foot, and as I had no desire to be so treated, I set off running as hard as I could. I hadn"t got far, however, before I fancied I heard some one coming. In a short time I was nearly certain of it, but I didn"t stop to listen. In daylight I should have had no difficulty in keeping ahead of my pursuers, but the ground was rough, and I had to turn aside to avoid bushes and rocks. Still the impediments in my way would also a.s.sist to stop them, and I didn"t despair of escaping. I had to cross over a ridge, at the top of which I was exposed to view. I had just reached it, when I heard some one shout. "You may shout as loud as you like," thought I, "but I"m not going to stop in consequence." Down the hill I rushed, hoping soon to find shelter, so as to be able to turn off to one side or the other, and thus to evade my pursuers. I knew that a little way on was a lane which led directly to the village, and that if I could once get into it I might run on without much chance of being overtaken. I could see before me a thick hedge, through which I should have to get into the lane. I was making my way towards it, when down I came into a deep ditch or watercourse, the existence of which I had forgotten. It was perfectly dry, but I was severely hurt by the fall, and for some seconds I lay unable to move. I soon, however, recovered, and attempted to scramble out on the opposite side. But the bank was steep, and the top was above my reach. I fancied that it would be lower farther down, and ran or rather scrambled on in that direction. It didn"t occur to me at the time that it would be wiser to remain perfectly still, when my pursuers, if they were continuing the chase, would have pa.s.sed me un.o.bserved in the darkness. I at last reached a part where the bank was broken away, and began climbing up, when I heard footsteps close to me; and, as I gained the top, I saw a man coming along at full speed on the opposite side. I determined, however, not to be caught if I could help it; but to my dismay, when I began to run, I found that I had sprained my ankle. This, though it didn"t stop me altogether, prevented me from running as fast as before; but if I could get through the hedge I thought that I might keep ahead, or that the smugglers would not venture to follow me. To ascertain how far off they were I gave a glance over my shoulder. This was fatal to my success, for my foot caught in a low bush and down I came. In vain I endeavoured to regain my feet. Next instant I found myself in the grasp of two men.
"Hulloa! Youngster; what made you try to get away from us?" asked one of them, in an angry tone.
"I am on my way home, and wish to get there as soon as possible," I answered.
"Who are you?" asked the man.
I told him without hesitation.
"And your father has joined Sir Reginald and the other squires about here in persecuting the smugglers."