in the bottoms lay bogs, deep and treacherous to those
who knew not the way across. It was rarely that a human figure was
visible. Once or twice a day a revenue man came along the edge of the
cliff, and would generally stop for a talk with Ralph.

"There was," he said, "a good deal of smuggling carried on along that
part of the coast during the war; but there is not so much of it now,
though no doubt a cargo is run now and then. It does not pay as it did
when the French ports were all closed, and there was not a drop of
brandy to be had save that which was run by the smugglers. Now that
trade is open again there is only the duty to save, and I fancy a good
many of the boats have gone out of the business. You see, the revenue
has got its agents in the French ports, and gets news from them what
craft are over there loading, and what part of the coast they come
from. Along the English coast there is still a good deal of it. There
lace pays well; but there is not much sale for lace in Ireland, and
not much sale for brandy either, excepting in the towns. The peasants
and farmers would not thank you for it when they can get home-made
whisky for next to nothing."

"I suppose that there is a good deal of that going on."

"Any amount of it, sir. For every still that is captured I reckon
there must be a hundred at work that no one dreams of, and will be as
long as barley grows and there are bogs and hills all over the
country, and safe hiding-places where no one not in the secret would
dream of searching. The boys know that we are not in their line of
business, and mind our own affairs. If it were not for that, I can
tell you, I wouldn't go along these cliffs at night for any pay the
king would give me; for I know that before a week would be out my body
would be found some morning down there on the rocks, and the coroner's
jury would bring in a verdict of tumbled over by accident, although
there wouldn't be a man of them but would know better."

"Well, I am sure I don't want to find out anything about them. I
belong to the detachment in Ballyporrit, and of course if the gauger
calls upon us we must march out and aid him in seizing a still. But
beyond that it's no affair of ours."

And yet although he so seldom saw any one to speak to, Ralph had
sometimes a sort of uncomfortable feeling that he was being watched.
Once or twice he had caught a glimpse of what he thought was a man's
head among some rocks; but on walking carele