Part 38 (2/2)
”Aleck,” he said, ”do you know anything about Dunning being intilers?”
”Yes, uncle; I have been suspecting it lately”
”Oh, Master Aleck!” came from outside ”Me? How can you say such a word! When did you ever know ? Oh, my dear lad, tell the truth; when did you--whenever did you know ?”
”Often,” said Aleck, bluntly
”What; tea and sperrits and 'bacco and silk?”
”No,” said Aleck; ”but fruit”
”Oh, fruit!” said the gardener, contemptuously ”What's a bit of fruit?”
”Perhaps you will have rounds searched at once, sir,” said the captain, waving the gardener back ”The house is s lieutenant, for such he proved to be; ”will you give entleman that my brother officer is not concealed about your preive you my word of honour that he is not; and I add to it that I have never had any dealings with the sh, sir Noill you tell -places, for they oods they run”
”I assure you, sir, that I have not the slightest knowledge of any such places I have often suspected the existence of a cave or caves
Aleck, my boy, do you know of any?”
Aleck turned sharply to speak, and as he did so he caught the gardener's eyes fixed upon hi or i, the lad could not tell which; but he spoke out frankly at once:
”No, uncle I've often wondered whether there was a sler's cave, but I never found one”
”Hue,” said the officer ”You have a boat?”
”Yes, I have a boat”
”And go coasting and fishi+ng about close in Do youof the kind?”
”Yes”
”And you never saw a cargo being landed--I oods?”
”Never,” said Aleck
”Then you entlelers about here?”
Aleck's face lit up, and he once ht Ness's eyes fixed upon him as he spoke
”Oh, yes,” he said; ”several”
”And you could direct us to their cottages?”
”I could,” said Aleck, ”but I' to”