Part 3 (1/2)
”Have you exa, men,” said the squire, ”to ascertain if it contains spirits?”
”No, your worshi+p, ould not venture to do that, seeing that t'other day when one of the coastguard broached a keg to see whether it had brandy or not he got into trouble for drinking the spirits”
”For drinking the spirits! He deserved to be,” exclai the keg here, and if you broach it in my presence you need have no fear of the consequences There can be little doubt that we shall be able to convict this fellow, and send hiaol for twelve months I wish it to be understood that I intend by every s of these lawless sal traffic with impunity in this part of the country”
Jack Cope, who had kept a perfectly calht up to the table, s, however, as he turned his glance towards the door In a short ti on his shoulders
”Place it on the table,” said Sir Reginald ”Can you swear this is the keg you took from the prisoner?” he asked of the constable
”Yes, your worshi+p It has never been out of our custody since we captured it,” replied thethat was taken froler in a confident tone
”Silence there, prisoner,” said Sir Reginald, ”You are not to speak until you are desired Let the cask be broached”
A couple of glasses and a giht them on a tray One of the officers immediately set to work and bored a couple of holes in the head and side of the cask The liquid which flowed out was bright and sparkling The officer passed it under his nose, but ht his countenance exhibited an odd expression
”Hand it here,” said Sir Reginald ”Bah!” he exclaiusted, ”why, it's salt water”
”I told you so, your worshi+p,” said Jack Cope, apparently hter ”You'll believe one down to the seaside to get some salt water for one of my children; and I think you'll allow, your worshi+p, that it is salt water”
”You are an iinald, irritated beyond ler's coolness ”I shall not believe you a bit the more I suspect that you have played the officers a trick to draw theh you escape conviction this tiht another, you may depend upon that; and you may expect no leniency from me Set the prisoner at liberty, there is no further evidence against hiinald, that Iof salt water holer deally deprived by the officers, and I deiven to inald in a gruff voice ”Is there any other case before me?”
”No, your worshi+p,” replied his clerk
And Jack Cope carried off his cask of salt water in triumph, followed by the officers and the other persons who had entered the hall
I had observed that Jack Cope had eyed my father and me as ere seated with the baronet, and it struck me that he had done so with no very pleasant expression of countenance
”These proceedings are abominable in the extreme, Mr Cheveley,”
observed the justice to my father ”We must, as I before reood deal of influence in your parish, and I must trust to you to find honest ive us due notice when a cargo is to be run”
”I fear the people do not look upon sinald,” observed my father ”The better class of e in it, but the _very_ best of them would think it dishonourable to act the part of informers I do not believe any bribe would induce them to do so”
”Perhaps not, but you can place the ht Show the the officers of the law in putting a stop to proceedings which are so detrimental to the revenue of the country If they can beinflicts on the fair trader, they ht froard it The Government requires funds to carry on the affairs of the nation, and duties and taxes must be levied to supply those funds We should show the is a practice which it is the duty of all loyal men to put a stop to”
”I understand your wishes, Sir Reginald, and agree with you that energeticreat object, at present, is to capture the 'Saucy Bess' The revenue officers afloat will, of course, do their duty; but she has so often eluded theed in running her cargo I will give a handsos reliable information which leads to that desirable result”
”I alers may be captured, others will soon take their places; as while the present high duties on spirits, silks, and other produce of France exist, the profit to beto be resisted,”
observed ilant watch is kept on this part of the coast they will merely carry on their transactions in another part”