Aleck glanced at his uncle"s face, and could see the blood gathering in his cheeks.
"Search my house, sir?" he said. "Are you so mad as to suppose that I should entrap one of the King"s officers?"
"Possibly, sir," replied the visitor, "on the _quid pro quo_ principle, to hold on ransom. We"ve got some of your friends; you have s.n.a.t.c.hed at one of ours."
"This is the first time, sir, that I"ve been led to suppose that I was a friend to the smugglers. Eh, Aleck?"
"What nonsense, uncle!" cried the lad, indignantly.
"Oh, indeed, young gentleman!" said the officer, turning upon him sharply. "No friends of yours neither?"
"Certainly not," cried Aleck.
"Ho! Then, perhaps you will be good enough to explain how it is that the gardener here is the smugglers" chief a.s.sistant in signalling, spying, and warning them?"
"He isn"t," said Aleck, sharply.
"He is," said the officer. "What is more, I found that cargoes are run down here in a cove or rift upon your coast, where a handy boat is kept."
"We"ve got a boat down the rift," said Aleck.
"Exactly; one that runs to and fro between here and Rockabie."
"Yes," said Aleck, mockingly; "to fetch fishing-tackle and grocery--and writing paper; eh, uncle?"
The captain nodded, while the young lieutenant went on:
"And to take messages from here to Rockabie."
"No," cried Aleck; but the officer went on, quietly:
"Look here, sir, I am credibly informed that it was your boat that rescued one of the most daring of the smugglers on the night of an encounter we had there--a man whom I was holding with my own hands till I was savagely struck down. It is quite likely that this may be examined into later on, but my business now is to find my messmate.
Look here, it will save a good deal of trouble, and make things much easier for you, if you put me up to the place where the prisoner is hidden."
"Perhaps it would," said Aleck, firmly now; "but I tell you I know nothing whatever about your young midshipman. If you think he is hidden somewhere here you are quite wrong."
"Perhaps so," said the officer, sternly, "but we shall see."
Then, turning to the captain, he said, shortly:
"I shall have to search your place, sir," and then rather jeeringly, as if suggesting that it would not matter in the least if the captain objected, he added: "I presume that you will not put difficulties in my way?"
"None whatever, sir," said the captain. "And as an old commissioned officer in his Majesty"s service should feel it my duty to help in any way I could."
"Eh? Oh, thank you," said the officer, changing his manner. "I beg your pardon. I heard the people called you captain, but I supposed that you were captain of some fishing or trading boat."
The captain bowed coldly.
"Aleck," he said, "do you know anything about Dunning being intimate with the smugglers?"
"Yes, uncle; I have been suspecting it lately."
"Oh, Master Aleck!" came from outside. "Me? How can you say such a word! When did you ever know me smuggle anything? Oh, my dear lad, tell the truth; when did you--whenever did you know me smuggle anything?"
"Often," said Aleck, bluntly.
"What; tea and sperrits and "bacco and silk?"
"No," said Aleck; "but fruit."
"Oh, fruit!" said the gardener, contemptuously. "What"s a bit of fruit?"
"Perhaps you will have my house and grounds searched at once, sir," said the captain, waving the gardener back. "The house is small, and--"
"Stop a moment, sir," said the young lieutenant, for such he proved to be; "will you give me your word of honour as an officer and a gentleman that my brother officer is not concealed about your premises?"
"Certainly," said the captain. "I give you my word of honour that he is not; and I add to it that I have never had any dealings with the smugglers."
"That is enough, sir. Now, will you tell me where we are to find their hiding-places, for they must have some stowages for the goods they run."
"I a.s.sure you, sir, that I have not the slightest knowledge of any such places. I have often suspected the existence of a cave or caves.
Aleck, my boy, do you know of any?"
Aleck turned sharply to speak, and as he did so he caught the gardener"s eyes fixed upon him with a peculiar glare that might have been threatening or imploring, the lad could not tell which; but he spoke out frankly at once:
"No, uncle. I"ve often wondered whether there was a smuggler"s cave, but I never found one."
"Humph! That seems strange," said the officer. "You have a boat?"
"Yes, I have a boat."
"And go coasting and fishing about close in. Do you mean to tell me you never found anything of the kind?"
"Yes."
"And you never saw a cargo being landed--I mean a cargo of smuggled goods?"
"Never," said Aleck.
"Then you must have been very un.o.bservant, young gentleman. I presume that you have seen smugglers about here?"
Aleck"s face lit up, and he once more caught Ness"s eyes fixed upon him as he spoke.
"Oh, yes," he said; "several."
"And you could direct us to their cottages?"
"I could," said Aleck, "but I"m not going to."