Lance made his appearance at breakfast the next morning rather late, and
as he entered the room, wondering whether his father knew of the events
of the night, he saw at a glance that everything had come out, for the
squire was speaking angrily to Alfred, who stood before him with his
face cut and scratched, and a great piece of sticking-plaister across
one hand.
[Illustration: "Oh," he cried, "there you are, sir!"]
"You may have considered it your duty, sir, still I think it was very
dishonourable of Captain Barry to make use of you as his spy without a
word to me; but of course he would know that I should not countenance
such a thing. It is quite time you went away from home, sir; so prepare
yourself, and you will go to one of the big grammar schools as soon as
you can make arrangements. That will do, sir: I do not want to hear
another word. I am a magistrate, and I want to uphold the law, but all
this business seems to me cowardly and bad.--Oh," he cried, "there you
are, sir!"
"Yes, father," said Lance, drawing a deep breath.
"You know, I suppose, that the King's men have found a nest of smugglers
here, under my very nose?"
"Yes, father."
"And you were in bed all night, of course?"
"No, father. I found out by accident that Alf was going to betray them."
"Betray, eh? And pray how?"
"He burnt blue lights at the top window as a signal to bring the French
lugger ashore."
"Indeed! Worse and worse," cried the squire angrily. "And you, sir--pray
what did you do?"
"Went and told Old Poltree and his lads to look out."
"You did, eh?"
"Yes, father."
"And pray why?"
"Because, father," said the boy boldly, "I thought it was such a shame."
"You hear this, my dear?" said the squire, turning to Mrs. Penwith.
"Yes, love," said that lady, looking at her son with tearful eyes.
"And I am a magistrate, and my son behaves like this! 'Pon my word, this
is supporting the law with a vengeance. But here's breakfast. I'll think
about it, and see what I ought to do."
But the squire was so taken up with a visit from the commander of the
cutter, which had made its appearance off the point that morning, and
going down and seeing the clearing out of the cave, in which there was a
grand haul for the sailors, that he apparently forgot to speak to his
son. He had no prisoners brought before him, for the smugglers had all
escaped; and when Mrs. Penwith told him with a troubled face that their
two boys had met at the bottom of the garden, quarrelled, and fought
terribly, he only said--
"Which whipped?"
"Lance, my dear. Alfred is terribly knocked about."
"Oh," said the squire, and that was all.
* * * * *
A month passed away before Hezz was seen back at the cottage, and oddly
enough that was the very day on which Alfred said good-bye to the place
and was driven off with his box, his cousin going with him to the cross
roads six miles away, where he was to meet the Plymouth waggon; and it
was on Lance's return that he strolled to the cliff to look down at the
cottage, and saw Hezz below on the sands once more tarring his boat.