the shore, and a lantern was run up to the main-mast head. The signal was answered from the shore by a beacon, which blazed but for an instant; and in less than ten minutes, was very distinctly heard a boat, rowing softly towards the vessel; but the loco-motion of the lights on the shore, the impatience of Whiggans and his crew, who all strove to conceal their agitation from St.Clyde, plainly indicated there was a good deal to be done before morning.

The lofty hills broke the slight wind that blew, and rendered calm the surface of the loch, which on the opposite shore seemed a little rough; and the creek into which the vessel was now brought, St. Clyde understood not to be far to the north of West Tarbot: and as Whiggans assured him, that so soon as his business was finished there, the vessel was going up the loch, and he might give himself no trouble,

our hero was content, in direct opposition to his duty and his feelings, to witness the entire cargo of the vessel landed, in much less time than a regular sailor would have taken up in getting his ship cleared out. For it was landed thus: the cargo was lashed together upon deck ready for landing; the lugger was anchored at this place of mooring, with a hawser from the shore; and, as soon as the signal was made from the vessel that the hawser was fast, the people on shore for the purpose hauled upon the hawser, dragged the cargo ashore, and every man marched off with as much as he could carry, and the vessel was cleared. It was all done in less than ten minutes.

During the preparation for landing the cargo, and whilst it was dragging on shore, Whiggans never uttered a syllable to St.Clyde; but as soon as the

business was over, the outlaw remarked he was sorry St. Clyde should be compelled to witness such an action. Our hero made no reply, but kept his position in looking over the stern of the lugger into the sea; he had turned round and fixed himself in this attitude, that he might not behold this gross violation of the laws his sword was bound to defend. Yet his reflections gave him more pain, than would defeat in opposing such lawless practices have cost him; and he reasoned forcibly on the negligence of the excise cutters, the dangerous commerce of those in whose power he now was; and hesitated whether to insist upon being landed instantly, to pursue those who had carried off the cargo, or to watch the manœuvres of Whiggans and his crew, and take such steps afterwards as might induce them to abandon their nefarious game, or bring them to ignominy and punish

ment.

But the reasonings which were passing in his mind with such rapid succession, were dissipated by the bold outlaw, who, with an ironical sneer, bade his crew "drink their grog, and toast next to their sweethearts and wives, the health of the prince, and the days o' lang-sine."

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CHAPTER IV.

The chase is up,-but they shall know,
The stag at bay's a dangerous foe.

SCOTT.

WHIGGANS purposed to go on shore, and begged St. Clyde to put on one of his fear-nothings, and step into the boat with him. He did so, and they landed in a trice, and marched from the beach to a small house, built as houses usually are in that quarter of the island. It is true it had been built of stones without cement, and was covered with sods and heath. The partition that divided it into two apartments was of wicker, but a separation was necessary, as the poor man had a large family. The peat fire on the middle of the floor, and a large

VOL. II.

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