n who was in the act of leaping by
the collar, but the treacherous garment gave way, and in a moment the
smuggler was gone, leaving only a rag in Coleman's grasp.

Meanwhile Tommy flung himself down in front of the only man who now
remained, as he made a dash for the window. The result was that the man
tumbled over the boy and fell to the ground. Having accomplished this
feat, Tommy leaped up and sprang through the window to aid in the chase.
As the smuggler rose, the disappointed Coleman turned round, flourished
the rag in the air with a shout of defiance, and hit his opponent
between the eyes with such force as to lay him a second time flat on the
floor. A fierce struggle now ensued, during which the light was
extinguished. The alarmed neighbours found them there, a few minutes
later, writhing in each other's arms, and punching each other's heads
desperately; Coleman, however, being uppermost.

When Tommy Bogey leaped over the window, as has been described, all the
smugglers had disappeared, and he was at a loss what to do; but the
faint sound of quick steps at the north end of the street led him to run
at the top of his speed in that direction. Tommy was singularly fleet
of foot. He ran so fast on this occasion that he reached the end of the
street before the fugitive had turned into the next one. He saw
distinctly that two men were running before him, and, concluding that
they were Long Orrick and Supple Rodger, he did his best to keep them in
view.

Long Orrick and his pursuer were well matched as to speed. Both were
good runners; but the former was much the stronger man. Counting on
this he headed for the wild expanse of waste ground lying to the north
of Deal, already mentioned as the sand hills.

Here he knew that there would be no one to interfere between him and his
antagonist.

Tommy Bogey thought of this too, as he sped along, and wondered not a
little at the temerity of Supple Rodger in thus, as it were, placing
himself in the power of his enemy. He chuckled, however, as he ran, at
the thought of being there to render him assistance to the best of his
power. "Ha!" thought he, "for Long Orrick to wollop Supple Rodger out
on the sandhills is _one_ thing; but for Long Orrick to wallop Supple
Rodger with me dancin' round him like a big wasp is quite another
thing!"

Tommy came, as he thought thus, upon an open space of ground on which
were strewn spare anchors and chain cables. Tumbling over