e cliff, where, unseen, he calculated upon
getting a good view of what was going on by the light of, as he
expected, many lanthorns.

Before he was half way to the edge a thrill ran through him, for a wild
shrieking arose, beginning with one voice, and turning to that of
several.

"Oh, it's a wreck!" cried the lad, wildly, and he hurried on, hoping to
reach the way down to the boats and be of some use before it was too
late.

But as he ran on with throbbing heart and his breath growing short it
gradually dawned upon him that the shrieks were those of angry women
raging and storming, and this was soon confirmed, for there was the
gruff burr of men's voices in the distance, followed by a shout or two,
which sounded like the orders he had heard in his dream.

"Why, it's a fight," he cried, half aloud. "Tom Bodger's right; the
press-gang has landed again, but, instead of going to Rockabie, they've
come here."

He was as right as Tom Bodger, for at last when he made his way to the
edge of the cliff it was to look down on the lanthorns carried by three
boats, which were close up to the shingly patch of beach from which the
fishing craft put off.

As far as he could make out in the darkness, badly illumined by the
lanthorns, there was a desperate struggle going on in the shallow water
lying between the shingle and the boats.

For the first few moments it seemed to Aleck in his excitement that the
press-gang was being beaten off by the smugglers. Then he was puzzled,
for he could hear hoarse shouts and laughter, mingled with shrieks and
what seemed to be loud abuse in women's voices, followed by splashing in
the water as of struggles going on again and again.

After the last of these encounters the lights began to move outward in
obedience to an order given loudly from one of the boats; the regular
_dip-dip_ of oars came up, and then there was a rushing sound and a wild
passionate chorus of cries from the shore.

"I know," panted Aleck, with a feeling of angry indignation attacking
him. "They've taken and are carrying off some of the men, and the women
have been fighting to try and rescue them. Poor things, how horrible,
but how brave!"

He had confirmation of his surmises directly after, for there now rose
up to his ears a burst of sobbing cries in a woman's voice, followed by
confused eager talk from quite a party, who seemed to be trying to
comfort the weeping woman.

For a few moments there was a pause, d