exactly what, Walter, but I suspect it, and I have not
liked to say anything about it before, because I was afraid of being
laughed at. But the more I think of it, the more certain I am that the
man who was here to-night is one of the band of smugglers who owned the
goods taken through our means by the revenue men. There are others with
him, and, mark my word, they have not come back for nothing. Now do,
fellows, load your guns. We needn't say anything and get laughed at,
for the Captain will surely laugh if we tell him my suspicions. You can
take your guns upstairs, and then, if anything does happen before
morning, you'll be all ready."

"Well, Walter," said Harry, "suppose we do--it's good fun at any rate to
make believe that robbers, and outlaws, and smugglers, and all other
sorts of odd visitors are coming--and--I cannot help owning that what
Bob says sounds probable. So here go two bullets for this barrel, and
nine buckshot for the other. Come, Walt, load up! Don't you shake in
your boots already? ugh!"

"It is curious that we should have pretended to be smugglers if
smugglers really do come. Probably that makes Bob fancy they will come;
still, I wish that we had not frightened the old people so," said
Walter, loading his gun; and a few minutes later Mr Clare opened the
kitchen door and called us in to evening prayers. As they always did,
Clump and Juno assembled with us in the dining-room.

There was something very impressive in those few moments before the
chapter for reading was found. There was the sound of the turning over
of the Bible leaves, and that of a light, pattering autumn rain without,
(it had commenced after dark), besides the comfortable crackling of the
wood-fire, and the occasional snapping of the fresh logs. The old,
devoted, pious negroes; the rugged, benevolent Captain, with an
expression of thought and reverent waiting in his face; and we boys, so
full of youth and spirits, sat thinking--soberly, and perhaps solemnly--
how neither sickness nor harm had come near us; what blessings of
pleasure, health, and strength had waited on us all during half a year;
how those dear ones separated from us had been preserved from suffering
and calamity, and were hoping to meet us before another week had
commenced; how the common ties and associations that had united us so
happily and so long were soon to be sundered. Those and many other--
some graver, some lighter--thoughts, in those few sec