sited
somewhere near the beach, proceeded to the spot. He and the hussar
arrived at the place about nine o'clock on this June evening and
managed to conceal themselves behind a hedge. They had not very long
to wait before they heard the sound of some men talking, and a man
named James Thomas was observed to remark:

"We couldn't have had a better time for smuggling if we had lain abed
and prayed for it."

Through the openings in the hedge Webber and the hussar could see the
outline of the delinquent, and the voice was more than familiar to the
Riding officer. We can readily appreciate Thomas's ecstasy when we
remark that it had now become rather dark and a sea-haze such as
frequently comes up in fine weather after a hot day was beginning to
spread itself around. For some time longer the two men continued to
remain in their hiding-place, and then heard that Thomas and his
accomplice had become joined by a number of other people. The sound of
horses' hoofs being led down to the beach was also distinctly heard,
and there were many signs of accelerated activity going on. Presently
there came upon the ears of the Riding officers the noise which
proceeds from the rattling of casks, and from some convenient
hiding-place, where they had remained, these were at last brought
forth, slings were prepared, and then the load was placed on the backs
of the several horses.

At this point, deeming that the time had come to interfere, the Riding
officer and the hussar crept out from their place of concealment and
advanced towards the band of smugglers. But, alert as hares, the
latter, so soon as they realised their own danger, took to their
heels and ran helter-skelter away. Thomas, however, was too wrath to
hasten, and began to curse his men. He began by complaining that the
kegs which had been brought forth were wonderfully "slack," that is to
say they were not as full as they might have been, hinting that
someone had been helping himself to their contents of spirits. "If you
had brought these a little sooner," referring doubtless to both horses
and casks, "we should have been three miles on our way home."

But scarcely had he finished his sentence than the last of his band
had fled, leaving him behind with both horses and casks. He was
promptly arrested and eleven months later prosecuted by the
Attorney-General.

Because the smugglers were so frequently assisted in their work by
those night signals to which we alluded some time