g in reaching Corranmore, and when the others arrived she
was already in bed, with Mrs. MacGregor beside her; the little girl
drinking hot milk and trying to restrain the tears that _would_ roll
down her cheeks, even when she forced herself to laugh.

'Feeling better, Tricksy?' asked Reggie apprehensively.

'She has had a nasty fall,' said Mrs. MacGregor somewhat reproachfully,
'and we may be thankful it is not any worse. She can't possibly go
home to-night; you had better tell your parents that she is safe with
us.'

A look of relief overspread Tricksy's tired features.

'Oh, you _are_ a dear,' she exclaimed, springing up and throwing her
arms round Mrs. MacGregor's neck, forgetting that the lady had once
said that Tricksy Stewart was a spoilt little girl. 'Hooray, I'll
sleep with Marjorie and we can talk about what we have seen to-day!'

CHAPTER VII

THE SIEGE

'No, Mr. Allan,' Duncan was declaring, 'if I wass you, I would not pe
telling the laird whateffer; it can do no good pringing honest folk
into trouble.'

'But they are not honest folk if they're smugglers,' interposed Reggie,
who had been listening to the conversation without joining in.

A peculiar expression flitted across Duncan's face.

'Well, but, Mr. Allan,' he maintained; 'I'm just telling you, that it
will pe petter if you will not pe telling the laird; you will only pe
meking trouble in the island and will pe doing no good at ahl, at ahl.'

'But what if it was they who robbed the post-office?' said Allan.

'Robbed the post-office, Mr. Allan!' cried Duncan; 'what will they pe
doing that for? Not them, Mr. Allan! So do not pe meking trouble by
telling the laird----'

'But we _have_ told him,' said Reggie.

'Dear, dear, Mr. Allan and Master Reggie,' said Duncan with a vexed
face; 'what will you haf peen doing that for? That wass a treatful
thing to do, to pe tale-bearers. Tear me; and what iss to pe done now?'

'But, Duncan, smuggling is against the law, and it will be their own
fault----'

'Well, but, Mr. Allan, you will pe for punishing folks that iss not
deserving to pe punished if you do such a foolish thing ass to pring
the police to them, and--och! Mr. Allan, Mr. Allan, why can't young
folks hev some sense! What iss to pe done now, after all you young
ladies and gentlemen hev tone such a senseless thing!'

Duncan's evident excitement showed that argument was in vain; and there
was something in his manner that tende