directed
two of the crew to take up the portmanteaus and accompany the
midshipmen, who set off at once along the shingly beach. As they moved
on, a peal of laughter, in which Ben indulged himself, saluted their
ears, which contributed not a little to increase Lord Reginald's anger
and indignation.

"I have a notion that I remember the countenance of the youngest of
those two rascals!" he exclaimed. "He is the son of one of our tenants,
and used often, when a mere boy, to be impudent to me. I felt inclined
more than once to thrash him, but he happened to be the stronger of the
two, so I didn't try, but I'll pay him off one of these days. I'll tell
my father how we were treated, and he'll show him that I am not to be
insulted with impunity."

"Certainly not, Oswald. I'll bear witness to the impertinent way in
which he behaved. I only wish that a pressgang may be sent on shore
here some night; I'll take good care that they do not overlook either
the young fellow or that surly old one. They are not very particular in
the service just now as to age, and both may be taken."

"Pray don't let me hear anything more about the matter, or when I reach
home I shall not be in a condition to receive the congratulations of my
family," said Lord Reginald. "I wish that the tide had been in and we
had been able to get up to the village instead of having to trudge over
these abominable shingles."

"Certainly," said Voules; "but the fellows are beneath your notice,
though the incident was sufficient to put one out of temper. If I had
thought Jennings would have consented, I would have proposed landing the
boat's crew and ducking the fellows; it would have brought them to
reason pretty quickly."

"You don't know the character of the men hereabout, or you would not say
so," observed Lord Reginald. "That fellow Hargrave is a desperate young
villain, and they are all smugglers and poachers, who would not scruple
to burn down the hall if they had an opportunity. My father is
determined to put a stop to their poaching and smuggling, but he has not
as yet had much success, I believe. The smugglers, somehow or other,
manage to land their cargoes when the revenue officers are out of the
way, and the poachers dodge our gamekeepers, who vow that although they
hear their shots, they can never catch them."

"It will be good fun some night to try what we can do," observed Voules.
"We should soon get hold of them, and if they are sent t