ll ran all the way back to the village, which was more than a mile away.
"Tom Stevens is lying at the foot of the cliff, father. I think he has
broken his leg, and he has been nearly drowned. Will you go and see his
uncle, and get three or four men to carry him home. You know very well it
is no use my going to his uncle. He would not listen to what I have to
say, and would simply shower abuse upon me."

"I will go," the old man said. "The boy can't be left there."

In a quarter of an hour the men started. Will went ahead of them for some
distance until he reached the top of the path. "He is down at the bottom,"
he said, and turned away. Tom was brought home, and roundly abused by his
uncle for injuring himself so that he would be unable to accompany him in
his boat for some days. He lay for a week in bed, and was then only able
to hobble about with the aid of a stick. When he related how Will had
saved him there was a slight revulsion of feeling among the
better-disposed boys, but this was of short duration. It became known that
a French lugger would soon be on the coast. Will was not allowed to
approach the edge of the cliff, being assailed by curses and threats if he
ventured to do so. Every care was taken to throw the coast-guard off the
scent, but things went badly. There was some sharp fighting, and a
considerable portion of the cargo was seized as it was being carried up
the cliff.

The next day Tom hurried up to Will, who was a short way out on the moor.

"You must run for your life, Will. There are four or five of the men who
say that you betrayed them last night, and I do believe they will throw
you over the cliff. Here they come! The best thing you can do is to make
for the coast-guard station."

Will saw that the four men who were coming along were among the roughest
in the village, and started off immediately at full speed. With oaths and
shouts the men pursued him. The coast-guard station was two miles away,
and he reached it fifty yards in front of them. The men stopped, shouting:
"You are safe there, but as soon as you leave it we will have you."

"What is the matter, lad?" the sub-officer in charge of the station said.

"Those men say that I betrayed them, but you know 'tis false, sir."

"Certainly I do. I know you well by sight, and believe that you are a good
young fellow. I have always heard you well spoken of. What makes them
think that?"

"It is because I would not agree to go on acting as w