to make
himself scarce, for she wouldn't have him--no, not if he was the last man
in the world and she the last woman. I daresay she overstated the case,
as women will. But what appeared marvellous to all observers was that the
girl had no particular good looks that wouldn't have passed anywhere in a
crowd, and yet these two had singled her out for their addresses.

Dan'l (that had been the first in the field) pointed this out to his
partner in a very reasonable spirit; but somehow it didn't take effect.
"If she's as plain-featured as you allow," said Phoby, "why the dickens
can't _you_ stand aside?"

"Because of her affectionate natur'," answered Dan'l, "and likewise for
her religious disposition, for the latter o' which you've got no more use
than a toad for side-pockets."

"We'll see about that," grumbled Phoby; and Dan'l, taking it for a threat,
lost no time in putting up the banns.

Apart from this he went on his way peaceably never doubting at all that,
when the knot was tied, Phoby would let be bygones and pick up with
another maid; whereby he made the mistake of judging other folks'
dispositions by his own. The smuggling, too, was going on more
comfortably than ever it had in John Carter's time, by reason that a new
Collector had come to Penzance--a Mr. Pennefather, a nice little,
pleasant-spoken, round-bellied man that asked no better than to live and
let live. Fifteen years this Pennefather held the collectorship, with
five-and-twenty men under him, besides a call on the military whenever he
wanted 'em; and in all that time he never made an enemy. Every night of
his life he stepped over from his lodgings in Market Jew Street for a game
of cards with old Dr. Chegwidden, who lived whereabouts they've built the
Esplanade since then, on the Newlyn side of Morrab Gardens; and after
their cards--at which one would lose and t'other win half a crown, maybe--
the doctor would out with a decanter of pineapple rum, and the pair would
drink together and have a crack upon Natural History, which was a hobby
with both. Being both unmarried, they had no one to call bedtime; but the
Collector was always back at his lodgings before the stroke of twelve.

With such a Collector, as you may suppose, the free trade in Mount's Bay
found itself in easy circumstances; and the Covers (as they were called)
took care in return to give Mr. Pennefather very little trouble.
In particular, Dan'l had invented a contrivance which sav