Having accomplished the feat narrated in the last chapter Maggot
proceeded with his friend towards the town. On their way they had to
pass the mouth of an old shaft in which both of them chanced to be much
interested at that time, inasmuch as it contained the produce of a
recent smuggling expedition on a large scale, consisting of nearly a
hundred tubs of brandy. The liquor had been successfully brought ashore
and concealed in the mine, and that night had been fixed on for its
removal. Mules had been provided, and about fifty men were appointed to
meet at a certain spot, at a fixed hour, to carry the whole away into
the neighbouring towns.
Maggot and his comrade began to converse about the subject that was
uppermost in their minds, and the former increased his pace, when John
Cock drew his attention to the fact that the sun was getting low.
"The boys will be mustering now," said John, "an' them theere daws have
kep' us late enough already."
"They do say that the boatsmen are informed about the toobs," observed
Maggot.
"More need to look alive," said John.
"Hallo!" exclaimed Maggot suddenly; "there's some wan in the shaft!"
He pointed to a neighbouring mound of rubbish, on which, just as he
spoke, a man made his appearance.
Without uttering a word the smugglers sauntered towards the mound,
assuming a careless air, as though they were passing that way by chance.
On drawing near they recognised Ebenezer Trezise, the coastguard-man.
"Good-hevening, sur," said Maggot; "semmen as if you'd found a keenly
lode."
"Why, iss, we've diskivered a noo vein," said Trezise with a sly smile,
"and we're sinkin' a shaft here in the hope o' raisin' tin, or
_somethin'_."
"Ha! hope you'll let John an' me have a pitch in the noo bal, won't
'ee?" said Maggot with a laugh.
"Oh, cer'nly, cer'nly," replied the boatsman; "if you'll lend us a hand
to sink the shaft. You appear to have been in the water, and 'twill
warm 'ee."
"No, thank 'ee," replied Maggot; "I've bin stroobin' a daw's nest under
cliff, an' I fell into the say, so I'm goin' hum to dry myself, as I'm
afeared o' kitchin' cold, being of a delikit constitootion. But I'll
p'raps lend thee a hand afterwards."
Maggot nodded as he spoke, and left the place at a slow saunter with his
comrade, followed by the thanks and good-wishes of the boatsman, who
immediately returned to the laborious task of clearing out the old
shaft.
"They've got the scent," said Maggot when out of earshot; "but we'll do
'em yet. Whenever thee gets on the leeside o' that hedge, John, do 'ee
clap on all sail for Balaswidden, where the boys are waitin', an' tell
'em to be ready for a call. I'll send Zackey, or wan o' the child'n to
'ee."
John went off on his errand the moment he was out of sight of the
boatsmen, and Maggot walked smartly to his cottage.
"Owld ooman," he said, commencing to unbutton his wet garments, "do 'ee
git ready a cup o' tay, as fast as you can, lass; we shall have company
to-night."
"Company!" exclaimed Mrs Maggot in surprise; "what sort o' company?"
"Oh! the best, the best," said Maggot with a laugh; "boatsmen no less--
so look sharp. Zackey booy, come here."
Zackey put down the unfortunate black kitten (which immediately sought
comfort in repose) and obeyed his father's summons, while his mother,
knowing that her husband had some plot in his wise head, set about
preparing a sumptuous meal, which consisted of bread and butter, tea and
fried mackerel, and Cornish pasty.
"Zackey, my son," said Maggot while he continued his toilet.
"Iss, father."
"I want 'ee to come down to the owld shaft with me, an' when I give 'ee
the ward cut away as hard as thee legs can spank to Balaswidden, an'
fetch the lads that are theere to the owld shaft. They knaw what to do,
but tell 'em to make so little noise as they can. Dost a hear, my son?"
"Iss, faither," replied Zackey, with a wink of such profound meaning
that his sire felt quite satisfied he was equal to the duty assigned
him.
"Now, doan't 'ee wag tongue more than enough," continued Maggot; "and go
play with the chet till I'm ready."
The urchin at once descended like a thunderbolt on the black kitten, but
that marvellous animal had succeeded in snatching five minutes' repose,
which seemed to be amply sufficient to recruit its energies, for it
began instantly to play--in other words to worry and scratch the boy's
hand--with the utmost glee and good-humour.
In a few minutes Maggot and his son went out and hastened to the old
shaft, where they found the boatsmen still hard at work with pick and
shovel clearing away the rubbish.
"You haven't found a bunch o' copper yet, I dessay?" said Maggot with a
grin.
"No, not yet, but we shan't be long," replied Eben Trezise with a
knowing smile.
"It's warm work," observed Maggot, as he looked down the hole, and saw
that what the boatsman said was true, and that they would not be long of
reaching the spot where the liquor had been concealed.
Trezise admitted that it _was_ warm work, and paused to wipe his heated
brow.
"I wish we had a drop o' water here," he said, looking up.
"Ha!" exclaimed Maggot; "not much chance o' findin' water in _that_
hole, I do think--no, nor brandy nuther."
"Not so sure o' that," said Trezise, resuming his work.
"Now, et _is_ a shame to let 'ee die here for want of a drop o' water,"
said Maggot in a compassionate tone; "I'll send my booy hum for some."
The boatsmen thanked him, and Zackey was ordered off to fetch a jug of
water; but his father's voice arrested him before he had gone a hundred
yards.
"Hold on a bit, my son.--P'raps," he said, turning to Trezise, "you'd
come up hum with me and have a dish o' tay? Missus have got it all
ready."
The invitation appeared to gratify the boatsmen, who smiled and winked
at each other, as though they thought themselves very clever fellows to
have discovered the whereabouts of a hidden treasure, and to be
refreshed in the midst of their toil by one whom they knew to be a noted
smuggler, and whom they strongly suspected of being concerned in the job
they were at that time endeavouring to frustrate. Throwing down their
tools they laughingly accepted the invitation, and clambered out of the
shaft.
"Now's your time," whispered Maggot with a nod to his hopeful son, and
then added aloud--
"Cut away, Zackey booy, an' tell mother to get the tay ready. Run, my
son, let us knaw what thee legs are made of."
"He's a smart lad," observed Trezise, as Zackey gave his father an
intelligent look, and dashed away at the top of his speed.
"Iss, a clever cheeld," assented Maggot.
"Bin down in the mines, I dessay?" said Trezise.
"Iss, oh iss; he do knaw tin," replied Maggot with much gravity.
In a few minutes the two coastguard-men were seated at Mrs Maggot's
well-supplied board, enjoying the most comfortable meal they had eaten
for many a day. It was seasoned, too, with such racy talk, abounding in
anecdote, from Maggot, and such importunate hospitality on the part of
his better half, that the men felt no disposition to cut it short.
Little Grace, too, was charmingly attentive, for she, poor child, being
utterly ignorant of the double parts which her parents were playing,
rejoiced, in the native kindliness of her heart, to see them all so
happy. Even the "chet" seemed to enter into the spirit of what was
going on, for, regardless of the splendid opportunity that now presented
itself of obtaining repose to its heart's content, that black ball of
concentrated essence of mischief dashed wildly about the floor and up
the bed-curtains, with its back up and its tail thickened, and its green
eyes glaring defiance at everything animate, inanimate, or otherwise,
insomuch that Maggot made sundry efforts to quell it with the
three-legged stool--and Mrs Maggot followed suit with a dish-clout--but
in vain!
Meanwhile, men and mules and horses were converging by many paths and
lanes towards the old shaft, and the shaft itself was apparently endued
with the properties of a volcano, for out of its mouth issued a
continuous shower of dust and stones, while many stalwart arms laid bare
the mine beneath, and tossed up the precious "tubs" of brandy.
Before the pleasant little tea-party in Maggot's cottage broke up the
whole were scattered abroad, and men and mules and horses sped with
their ill-gotten gains across the furze-clad moors.
"Sure it's early to break up," said Maggot, when the boatsmen at last
rose to take their leave; "there's no fear o' the bunches o' copper
melting down there, or flyin' away."
"There's no saying," replied Eben Trezise; "you've heerd as well as we
of lodes takin' the bit in their teeth an' disappearing--eh?"
"Well, iss, so they do sometimes; I'll not keep 'ee longer;
good-hevenin' to 'ee," said Maggot, going outside the door and wishing
them all manner of success as they returned to the old shaft.
Reader, shall we follow the two knowing fellows to that shaft? Shall we
mark the bewildered expression of amazement with which they gazed into
it, and listen to the wild fiendish laugh of mingled amusement and wrath
that bursts from them in fitful explosions as the truth flashes into
their unwilling minds? No; vice had triumphed over virtue, and we deem
it a kindness to your sensitive nature to draw a veil over the scene of
her discomfiture.