"And your father has joined Sir Reginald and the other squires about
here in persecuting the smugglers."
"I don't see what that has to do with my being in a hurry to get home,"
I replied.
"Maybe not; but we want to know where you were lying hid just before you
took to running," said the other man.
"I was not lying hid anywhere," I answered. "I was going along from
paying a visit to Roger Riddle, after seeing his son Mark, who was
caught by the Squire's keepers, and accused of poaching, when being
tired I sat down to rest and fell asleep."
"Whereabouts were you sleeping?" asked the smuggler.
"On the ground," I answered.
"So I suppose," said the man, with a laugh. "But whereabouts on the
ground?"
"Not far from the old barn, to the best of my recollection; but it was
too dark when I started to make out where I had been."
This answer seemed to satisfy my interrogator. I was afraid that he
would inquire every moment whether I had heard the conversation going on
within the building.
"Well, my lad," he said, "take care you don't shove your nose into
places where you're not wanted. If you're a friend of old Riddle's, I
don't suppose you'll have any ill-feeling against the smugglers. So
now, good-night. You would have saved us a long run if you hadn't been
in such a hurry to get home."
Thankful to escape so easily, I told the men I was sorry to have given
them so much trouble. They accompanied me to a gate not far off, over
which I climbed into the lane. I then, as fast as my sprained ankle
would let me, made the best of my way home. I found that my family had
been somewhat alarmed at my non-appearance. My father, who always took
matters coolly, accepted my excuses, but Aunt Deb scolded me roundly for
having played truant.
"What business had you to go to trouble Sir Reginald about that young
scapegrace Riddle?" she asked, in her usual stern manner. "He'll
consider that you and your friend are alike. He'll not be far wrong
either. You have lost all chance, if you ever had one, of interesting
Sir Reginald in your favour. You may as well give up all hope at once
of being a midshipman. Now I suppose you want some supper, though you
don't deserve it. You're always giving trouble to Betsy in coming home
at irregular hours."
"Thank you," I said, "I'm not so very hungry. I'll go into the kitchen
and get some bread and cheese; that is all I want before I go to bed."
So thus I made my escape. I had no opportunity that night of informing
my father of what I had heard, but when we went to our room I gave Ned
an account of my adventures.
"I would advise you, Dick, not to interfere in the matter," said Ned.
"It's all very well for our father to preach against smuggling; the
smugglers themselves don't mind it a bit; but were he to take any active
measures they would very likely burn the house down, or play us some
other trick which would not be pleasant."
Notwithstanding what Ned said, I determined to inform Sir Reginald of
what I had heard, still hoping that by so doing I should gain his
favour.