Aunt Deb's lecture, and what came of it--My desire to go to sea still
further increases--My father, to satisfy me, visits Leighton Hall--Our
interview with Sir Reginald Knowsley--Some description of Leighton
Hall and what we saw there--The magistrate's room--A smuggler in
trouble--The evidence against him, and its worth--An ingenious plea--
An awkward witness--The prisoner receives the benefit of the doubt--
Sir Reginald consults my father, and my father consults Sir Reginald--
My expectations stand a fair chance of being realised--The proposed
crusade against the smugglers--My father decides on taking an active
part in it--I resolve to second him.
On reaching home, the first person I encountered was Aunt Deb.
"Where have you been, Master Dick?" she exclaimed, in a stern tone,
"you've frightened your poor father and mother out of their wits. They
have been fancying that you must have met with some accident, or run off
to sea."
"I have been fishing, aunt," I answered, exhibiting the contents of my
basket, "this shows that I am speaking the truth, though you look as if
you doubted my word."
"Ned said you had gone out fishing, but that you promised to be back for
breakfast," she replied, "it has been over half an hour or more, and the
things have been cleared away, so you must be content with a mug of milk
and a piece of bread. The teapot was emptied, and we can't be brewing
any more for you."
"Thank you, aunt. I must, as you say, be content with the mug of milk
and piece of bread you offer me," I said, with a demure countenance,
glad to escape any questioning. "I shall have a better appetite for
dinner, when I hope you will allow these fish to be cooked, and I fancy
that you will find them very good, I have seldom caught finer."
"Well, well, go in and get off your dirty shoes, you look as if you had
been wading into the pond, and remember to be home in good time another
day. While I manage the household, I must have regularity; the want of
it throws everybody out, though your father and mother do not seem to
care about the matter."
Glad to escape so easily, I hurried away. My father had gone out to
visit a sick person who had sent for him. My brothers and sisters were
engaged in their various studies and occupations, and my mother was
still in her room. Jane, the maid, by Aunt Deb's directions, brought me
the promised mug of milk and piece of bread, and I, without complaint,
ate a small piece of the one, and drank up the contents of the other,
and then said I had had enough, and could manage to go on until
dinner-time. It did not strike me at the time that I was guilty of any
deception, though I really was; but I was afraid if I mentioned my visit
to Roger Riddle's cottage, the rest of my adventures in the morning
would come out, and so said nothing about the matter.
When my father came home, I told him that I was sorry for being so late,
but considering the fine basket of fish I had brought home, it would add
considerably to the supply of provisions for the family, and hoped he
would not be angry with me.
"No, Dick, I am not angry," he said, "but Aunt Deb likes regularity, and
we are in duty bound to yield to her wishes."
"I wish that Aunt Deb were at Jericho," I muttered to myself, "and I
should not have minded saying the same thing aloud to my brothers and
some of my sisters, for we most of us were heartily tired of her
interference with all family arrangements, and were frequently on the
verge of rebellion, but my father paid her so much deference, that we
were afraid of openly breaking out."
Finding that my father was disengaged, I followed him into the study,
and again broached the subject of going to sea.
"Couldn't you take me to Squire Knowsley, and talk the matter over with
him," I said. "You can tell him that 50 pounds a year is a large sum
for you to allow me, and perhaps he may induce Captain Grummit to take
me, although I may not have the usual allowance. I promise to be very
economical, and I would be ready to make any sacrifice rather than not
go afloat."
"Sir Reginald came back yesterday, I find," said my father. "You know,
Dick, I am always anxious to gratify your wishes, and as I do not see
any objection to your proposal, we will set off at once to call on him;
perhaps he will do as you desire. If he does not, it will show him how
anxious you are to go to sea, and he may assist you in some other way."
I was very grateful to my father, and thanked him for agreeing to my
proposal.
"It won't do, however, for you to go in your present untidy condition,"
he remarked; "go and put on your best clothes, and by that time I shall
be ready to set off."
I hurried to my room, and throwing my clothes down on my bed, rigged
myself out in the best I possessed. I also, as may be supposed, put on
dry socks and shoes. It did not occur to me at the time, that the
condition of the clothing I threw off was likely to betray my adventure
of the morning. I went down stairs and set off with my father. We had
a pleasant walk, although the weather was rather hot, and in the course
of about an hour arrived at Leighton Park.
Sir Reginald, who was at home, desired that we should at once be
admitted to his study, or rather justice-room, in which he performed his
magisterial duties. It was a large oak room, the walls adorned with
stags' horns, foxes' brushes, and other trophies of the chase, with a
couple of figures in armour in the corner, holding candelabra in their
hands. On the walls were hung also bows and arrows, halberds, swords,
and pikes, as well as modern weapons, and they were likewise adorned
with several hunting pictures, and some grim portraits of the Squire's
ancestors. On one side was a bookcase, on the shelves of which were a
few standard legal works, with others on sporting subjects, veterinary,
falconry, horses and dogs, and other branches of natural history.
Sir Reginald himself, a worthy gentleman, with slightly grizzled hair
and a ruddy countenance, was seated at a writing-table covered with a
green cloth, on which was a Bible and two or three other books, and
writing materials. He rose as we entered, and received us very
courteously, begging my father and me to take seats near him on the
inner side of the table.
"You will excuse me, if any cases are brought in, I must attend to them
at once. I never allow anything to interfere with my magisterial
duties. But do not go away. I'll dispose of them off-hand, and shall
be happy to continue the conversation. I want to have a few words with
you, Mr Cheveley, upon a matter of importance, to obtain your advice
and assistance. By-the-bye, you wrote to me a short time ago about a
son of yours who wishes to enter the naval service. This is, I presume,
the young gentleman," he continued, looking at me, "Eh! My lad? And so
you wish to become a second Nelson?"
"I wish to enter the navy, Sir Reginald, but don't know whether I shall
ever become an admiral; my ambition is at present to be made a
midshipman," I answered boldly.
"I am very ready to forward your wishes, although it is not so easy a
matter as it was a few years ago during the war time. I spoke to my
friend Grummit, who has just commissioned the `Blaze-away,' and he
expressed his willingness to take you. I think I wrote to you, Mr
Cheveley, on the subject."
"That is the very matter on which I am anxious to consult you, Sir
Reginald," said my father. "You mentioned that Captain Grummit insists
on all his midshipmen having an allowance from their friends of 50
pounds a year, and although that does not appear to him probably, or to
you, Sir Reginald, a large sum, it is beyond the means of a poor
incumbent to furnish, and I am anxious to know whether Captain Grummit
will condescend to take him with a smaller allowance."
"I am sorry to say he told me that he made it a rule to receive no
midshipman who had not at least that amount of private property to keep
up the respectability of his position," answered Sir Reginald, "and from
what I know of him, I should think he is not a man likely to depart from
any rule he may think fit to make. However, my dear Mr Cheveley, I
will communicate with him, and let you know what he replies. If he
still insists on your son having 50 pounds a year, we must see what else
can be done. Excuse me for a few minutes, here come some people on
business."
Several persons who had entered the hall, approached the table. One of
them, a dapper little gentleman in black, with a bundle of papers in his
hand, took a seat at one end, and began busily spreading them out before
him. At the same time two men, whom I saw were constables, brought up a
prisoner, who was dressed as a seafaring man, handcuffed.
"Whom have you got here?" asked Sir Reginald, scrutinising the prisoner.
"Please, your honour, Sir Reginald, we took this man last night
assisting in running contraband goods, landed, as we have reason to
believe, from Dick Hargreave's boat the `Saucy Bess,' which had been
seen off the coast during the day between Milton Cove and Rock Head."
"Ah, I'm glad you've got one of them at last. We must put a stop to
this smuggling which is carried on under our noses to the great
detriment of the revenue. What became of the rest of the crew, and the
men engaged in landing the cargo?"
"Please, your worship, the cargo was sprighted away before we could get
hold of a single keg or bale, and all the fellows except this one made
their escape. The `Preventive' men had been put on a wrong scent, and
gone off in a different direction, so that we were left to do as best we
could, and we only captured this one prisoner with a keg on his
shoulders, making off across the downs, and we brought him along with
the keg as evidence against him."
"Half a loaf is better than no bread, and I hope by the punishment he
will receive to induce others now engaged in smuggling to abandon so low
a pursuit. What is your name, prisoner?"
"Jack Cope, your worship," answered the smuggler, who looked wonderfully
unconcerned, and spoke without the slightest hesitation or fear.
"Well, Mr Jack Cope, what have you to say for yourself to induce me to
refrain from making out a warrant to commit you to gaol?" asked the
magistrate.
"Please, your worship, I don't deny that I was captured as the
constables describe with a cask on my shoulders, for I had been down to
the sea to fill it with salt water to bathe one of my children whose
limbs require strengthening, and I was walking quietly along when these
men pounced down upon me, declaring that I had been engaged in running
the cargo of the `Saucy Bess,' with which I had no more to do than the
babe unborn."
"A very likely story, Master Cope. You were caught with a keg on your
shoulders; it's very evident that you were unlawfully employed in
assisting to run the cargo of the vessel you spoke of, and I shall
forthwith make out the order for your committal to prison."
"Please, your worship, before you do that, I must beg you to examine the
keg I was carrying, for if it contains spirits I am ready to go; but if
not, I claim in justice the right to be set at liberty."
"Have you examined the keg, men," said the squire, "to ascertain if it
contains spirits?"
"No, your worship, we would not venture to do that, seeing that t'other
day when one of the coastguard broached a keg to see whether it had
brandy or not he got into trouble for drinking the spirits."
"For drinking the spirits! He deserved to be," exclaimed Sir Reginald.
"However, that is not the point. Bring the keg here, and if you broach
it in my presence you need have no fear of the consequences. There can
be little doubt that we shall be able to convict this fellow, and send
him to gaol for twelve months. I wish it to be understood that I intend
by every means in my power to put a stop to the proceedings of these
lawless smugglers, who have so long been carrying on this illegal
traffic with impunity in this part of the country."
Jack Cope, who had kept a perfectly calm demeanour from the time he had
been brought up to the table, smiled scornfully as Sir Reginald spoke.
He said nothing, however, as he turned his glance towards the door. In
a short time a revenue man appeared carrying a keg on his shoulders.
"Place it on the table," said Sir Reginald. "Can you swear this is the
keg you took from the prisoner?" he asked of the constable.
"Yes, your worship. It has never been out of our custody since we
captured it," replied the man.
"And _I_, too, can swear that it is the same keg that was taken from
me!" exclaimed the bold smuggler in a confident tone.
"Silence there, prisoner," said Sir Reginald, "You are not to speak
until you are desired. Let the cask be broached."
A couple of glasses and a gimlet had been sent for. The servant now
brought them on a tray. One of the officers immediately set to work and
bored a couple of holes in the head and side of the cask. The liquid
which flowed out was bright and sparkling. The officer passed it under
his nose, but made no remark, though I thought his countenance exhibited
an odd expression.
"Hand it here," said Sir Reginald. "Bah!" he exclaimed, intensely
disgusted, "why, it's salt water."
"I told you so, your worship," said Jack Cope, apparently much inclined
to burst into a fit of laughter. "You'll believe me another time, I
hope, when I said that I had gone down to the seaside to get some salt
water for one of my children; and I think you'll allow, your worship,
that it is salt water."
"You are an impudent rascal!" exclaimed Sir Reginald, irritated beyond
measure at the smuggler's coolness. "I shall not believe you a bit the
more. I suspect that you have played the officers a trick to draw them
away from your companions, and though you escape conviction this time,
you will be caught another, you may depend upon that; and you may expect
no leniency from me. Set the prisoner at liberty, there is no further
evidence against him."
"I hope, Sir Reginald, that I may be allowed to carry my keg of salt
water home," said the smuggler demurely. "It is my property, of which I
have been illegally deprived by the officers, and I demand to have it
given to me back."
"Let the man have the keg," said Sir Reginald in a gruff voice. "Is
there any other case before me?"
"No, your worship," replied his clerk.
And Jack Cope carried off his cask of salt water in triumph, followed by
the officers and the other persons who had entered the hall.
I had observed that Jack Cope had eyed my father and me as we were
seated with the baronet, and it struck me that he had done so with no
very pleasant expression of countenance.
"These proceedings are abominable in the extreme, Mr Cheveley,"
observed the justice to my father. "We must, as I before remarked, put
an effectual stop to them. You have a good deal of influence in your
parish, and I must trust to you to find honest men who will try and
obtain information, and give us due notice when a cargo is to be run."
"I fear the people do not look upon smuggling as you and I do, Sir
Reginald," observed my father. "The better class of my parishioners may
not probably engage in it, but the _very_ best of them would think it
dishonourable to act the part of informers. I do not believe any bribe
would induce them to do so."
"Perhaps not, but you can place the matter before them in its true
light. Show them that they are acting a patriotic part by aiding the
officers of the law in putting a stop to proceedings which are so
detrimental to the revenue of the country. If they can be made to
understand the injury which smuggling inflicts on the fair trader, they
may see it in a different light from that in which they at present
regard it. The Government requires funds to carry on the affairs of the
nation, and duties and taxes must be levied to supply those funds. We
should show them that smuggling is a practice which it is the duty of
all loyal men to put a stop to."
"I understand your wishes, Sir Reginald, and agree with you that
energetic measures are necessary; and you may depend upon my exerting
myself to the utmost."
"My great object, at present, is to capture the `Saucy Bess.' The
revenue officers afloat will, of course, do their duty; but she has so
often eluded them that my only hope is to catch her while she is engaged
in running her cargo. I will give a handsome reward to any one who
brings reliable information which leads to that desirable result."
"I am afraid that, although one or two smugglers may be captured, others
will soon take their places; as while the present high duties on
spirits, silks, and other produce of France exist, the profit to be made
by smuggling will always prove a temptation too strong to be resisted,"
observed my father. "If the smugglers find that a vigilant watch is
kept on this part of the coast they will merely carry on their
transactions in another part."
"At all events, my dear Mr Cheveley, we shall have the satisfaction of
knowing that we have done our duty in removing what I consider a
disgrace to our community," observed Sir Reginald. "As to lowering the
duties, that is what I will never consent to. I shall always oppose any
scheme of the sort while I hold my place in Parliament. I feel that I
am bound to preserve things as they are, and am not to be moved by the
brawling cries of demagogues."
"Of course, Sir Reginald, you understand these things better than I do.
I have never given my mind to politics, and have always been ready to
record my vote in your favour, and to induce as many as possible of my
parishioners to follow my example."
All this time I had been sitting on the tenter-hooks of expectation,
wondering if my father would again refer to the subject which had
induced him to pay a visit to the baronet.
"I must wish you good morning, Sir Reginald," he said, rising. "You
will, I feel sure, not forget your promise regarding my son Dick, and if
Captain Grummit cannot take him, I trust that you will find some other
captain who does not insist on his midshipmen having so large an
allowance."
"Of course, my dear Mr Cheveley, of course," said the baronet, rising;
"although it did not strike me as anything unreasonable. Yet I am aware
how you are situated with a numerous family and a comparatively small
income; and, believe me, I will not lose an opportunity of forwarding
the views of the young gentleman. Good morning, my dear Mr Cheveley,
good morning," and nodding to me, he bowed us out of the hall.
"I hope Sir Reginald will get me a berth on board some other ship," I
said to my father, as we walked homeward. "He seems wonderfully
good-natured and condescending."
"I don't feel altogether satisfied as to that point," answered my
father, who knew the baronet better than I did.