gns of a vessel, but one of
Macdonald's men on the watch. From him she learned that Macdonald had
gone out to look for the smuggling boat; had seen it, and turned it
back; and that the smuggling crew had been obliged to throw overboard
some of their cargo to lighten their vessel for flight. Macdonald
thought they would hardly venture hither again for some time to come.
This was good news; but there was better; Rollo was not with the
smugglers. He was out fowling this afternoon. Perhaps by this time he
might be at home.

Annie's errand was finished; and she might now return and rest.
Macdonald's man spoke of his hope of some goods being washed up by the
next tide. Annie told him nothing of the cask, nor of what she had done
with the rum. She commended him to his watch, and left him.

Lady Carse was still sleeping, but less heavily. She roused herself
when spoken to, started up, and looked about her, somewhat bewildered.
"I took the liberty, madam, of speaking to you, to waken you," said
Annie; "because the moon is up, and was shining on your head, which is
considered bad for the health."

"Really," said Lady Carse, "it is very odd. I don't know how I could
think of falling asleep here. I suppose I was very tired."

"You look so now, madam. Better finish your sleep at home. And first,
if I may advise you, you will throw some salt water on your head, and
drink some fresh at the spring, when we come to it. The people here say
that bathing the head takes away the danger from sleeping under the
moon's rays."

Lady Carse had no objection to do this, as her head was hot; and now
Annie hoped that she would escape detection by the Ruthvens, so that she
alone would know the secret. Both drank at the spring, and after that
it might be hoped that there would be little more smell of spirits about
the one than the other.

When they passed the cask, now beginning to float in the rising tide,
Lady Carse started. It was clear that she now remembered what had made
her sleep. "There is a cask!" said she, in her hurry.

"Yes, a cask of sea-water," Annie quietly observed. "I emptied out the
bad stuff that was in it, and--"

"You did! What right had you?"

"It was contraband," said Annie. "Macdonald saw the cargo thrown over:
nobody would have claimed it, and plenty would have helped themselves to
what is unfit to drink. So I poured it out upon the sand."

"Very free and easy, I must say," observed Lady Carse.