of a number of adventures recounted by him during his convalescence.
I take it from my grandfather's MSS., but am not able, at this distance
of time, to learn how closely it follows the actual words of the
narrator.

Smuggling in 1841 was scotched, but certainly not extinct, and the visit
of M. Riel to his old customers was, as likely as not, connected with
business.--Q.]

"_Item, of the Cognac 25 degrees above proof, according to sample in the
little green flask, 144 ankers at 4 gallons per anker, at 5s. 6d. per
gallon, the said ankers to be ready slung for horse-carriage._"

"Now may the mischief fly away with these English!" cried my father, to
whom my mother was reading the letter aloud. "It costs a man a working
day, with their gallons and sixpences, to find out of how much they mean
to rob him at the end of it."

"_Item, 2 ankers of colouring stuff at 4 gallons per anker, price as
usual. The place to be as before, under Rope Hauen, east side of
Blackhead, unless warned: and a straight run. Come close in, any wind
but easterly, and can load up horses alongside. March 24th or 25th will
be best, night tides suiting, and no moon. Horses will be there: two
fenced lights, pilchard-store and beach, showing S 1/4 E to E S E.
Get them in line. Same pay for freighting, and crew 17l. per man, being
a straight run,_"

"And little enough," was my father's comment.

"_Item, 15 little wooden dolls, jointed at the knees and elbows, the
same as tante Yvonne used to sell for two sols at Saint Pol de Leon--_."

"'Fifteen little wooden dolls'! 'Fifteen little woo--'." My father
dropped into his chair, and sat speechless, opening and shutting his
mouth like a fish.

"It is here in black and white," said my mother. I found the letter,
years after, in her kist. It was written, as were all the letters we
received from this Cornish venturer, in a woman's hand, small and
delicate, with upstrokes like spider's thread; written in French, too,
quite easy and careless. My mother held it close to the window.
"'Fifteen little wooden dolls,'" she repeated, "'jointed at the knees
and elbows.'"

"Well, I've gone to sea with all sorts, from Admiral Brueys upwards; but
fifteen little wooden dolls--jointed--at--the--knees!"

"I know the sort," I put in from the hearth, where my mother had set me
to watch the _bouillon_. "You can get as many as you like in the very
next street, and at two sols apiece. I will look to that part