some
means or other. They would not believe that I had had no intention,
when I lent him my knife and other things, of helping him to get out. I
took care to return home at an early hour, as I had no wish to encounter
Ned Burden or the other men on the way. I waited somewhat impatiently
for the result of the information I had given. I was very sure the
baronet would take the necessary steps for capturing the smugglers. The
weather, which had for a long time been fine, now completely changed. A
strong westerly gale sprung up, the sky was clouded over, and as there
was no moon the nights were very dark. The evening on which I had heard
the smugglers propose to run the cargo arrived. I should have been wise
to have gone to bed at the regular hour, as if I had had nothing to do
in the matter. Instead of that, as soon as Ned was asleep I slipped on
my clothes and went out by the back door, which I carefully closed
behind me. As soon as I got clear of the village, and could see to a
distance, I turned my eyes towards Kidbrooke Farm, which the smugglers
had planned to attack in order to draw off the coastguard-men from the
spot where the cargo was to be run. In a few minutes I observed a
bright light burst forth from the surrounding darkness, and rapidly
increase until it assumed the appearance of a huge bonfire. I then knew
that the outlaws had carried out the first part of their plan, as I
concluded they would the second. It seemed to me that the whole farm
and all the stacks would speedily be in a blaze. Eager to see the fire,
I ran towards the farm. On getting nearer, the hum of human voices
showed me that a number of people had assembled, some of whom were
engaged in throwing water over the stacks, others in pulling down the
burning one. As I got up to them, I found that they were mostly
labourers from Leighton, together with those belonging to the farm, with
a few of the villagers from Sandgate. There were, I remarked, none of
the revenue-men present, by which I concluded that they had not been
drawn away from the coast, as the smugglers expected they would be.
Precautions having been taken in time, and there being plenty of hands
to extinguish the flames, the fire didn't communicate to the other
ricks; and, as far as I could see, even a portion of the first was
saved.

It would have been better for me had I returned home and gone to bed
again; but I was curious to know if the "Saucy Bess" had succeeded