, father," I said eagerly.

"So do I, my boy; but I have very little faith in him, and I always
dwell in expectation that some day or other, or some night or another,
he will land with a strong party, and come up here to work all the
mischief he can--perhaps carry off all our silver."

"But, father," I exclaimed, "that would be acting like a pirate."

"Well, Sep, there is not much difference between a pirate and a
smuggler. They are both outlaws, and not very particular about what
they do."

"Oh, but I hope we shall have no trouble of that sort, for Bigley's
sake."

"So do I, Sep, but I feel this, that we are not safe, for we have made a
dangerous enemy--one who can descend upon us at any time, and then get
away by sea. What can we do if he makes such an attack?"

"Fight," I said bluntly. "We have plenty of arms, and the men will do
just what they are bid."

"Yes," said my father; "but I should be deeply grieved for there to be
any bloodshed. I've known what it is in my early days, Sep, and in
spite of all that has been said about honour and glory there is always
an unpleasant feeling afterwards, when in cool blood you think about
having destroyed your fellow-creatures' lives."

"Yes, father," I said; "there must be, and we don't want to do it; but
if anyone comes breaking into the mine premises to steal, they must take
the consequences."

"Yes, Sep," said my father sternly, "they must, for I have enough of the
old fighting-man left in me to make me say that I should not give up
quietly if I was put to the proof."

I thought a good deal about my father's words, but though I regularly
made Bigley my confidant, and told him pretty well everything, I did not
tell him that, for I knew it would make him very uncomfortable, and
besides it seemed such a horrible idea for us to have to be fighting
against his father--our men against his.

The time went on, and we kept on hearing about the French war, but we
seemed to be, away there in our quiet Devon combe, far from all the
noise and turmoil, and very little of the news excited us.

We knew when there was a big fight, and when one side got the better of
the other; but to read the papers we always appeared to get the victory.
But, as I say, it did not seem to concern us much, only when the
country traffic was a bit disturbed, and our lead began to accumulate
for want of the means of sending it away.

"I don't so much mind the lead, Sep," my father used to say