ssly to the spot he could
see no signs of any one. Another time, looking suddenly round, he saw
a boy standing at the edge of some boggy ground where the land dipped
suddenly away some two hundred yards from the edge of the cliff; but
directly he saw that he was observed he took to his heels, and
speedily disappeared down the valley.

Ralph did not trouble himself about these matters, nor did he see any
reason why any one should interest himself in his movements. Had he
wandered about among the hills inland he might be taken for a spy
trying to find out some of the hidden stills; but sitting here at the
edge of the cliff watching the sea, surely no such absurd suspicion
could fall upon him. Had he been there at night the smugglers might
have suspected him of keeping watch for them; but smugglers never
attempted to run their cargoes in broad daylight, and he never came
down there after dark. One day a peasant came strolling along. He was
a powerful-looking man and carried a heavy stick. Ralph was lying on
his back looking up at the clouds and did not hear the man approach
till he was close to him, then with a quick movement he sprang to his
feet.

"I did not hear you coming," he said. "You have given me quite a
start."

"It's a fine day, yer honor, for sleeping on the turf here," the man
said civilly.

"I was not asleep," Ralph said; "though I own that I was getting on
for it."

"Is yer honor expecting to meet any one here?" the man asked. "Sure,
it's a mighty lonesome sort of place."

"No, I am not expecting any one. I have only come out for a look at
the sea. I am never tired of looking at that."

"It's a big lot of water, surely," the man replied, looking over the
sea with an air of interest as if the sight were altogether novel to
him. "A powerful lot of water. And I have heard them say that you
often come out here?"

"Yes, I often come out," Ralph assented.

"Don't you think now it is dangerous so near the edge of the cliff,
yer honor? Just one step and over you would go, and it would be ten
chances to one that the next tide would drift your body away, and
divil a one know what had become of you."

"But I don't mean to take a false step," Ralph said.

"Sure, there is many a one takes a false step when he isn't dreaming
about it; and if ye didn't tumble over by yourself, just a push would
do it."

"Yes, but there is no one to give one a push," Ralph said.

"Maybe and maybe not," the man replied. "I