“At night time we go out of the cavern in our long boats, and meet ships which are creeping close to shore; sometimes they are friends who come from France or Spain with smuggled goods, and sometimes they are strange craft. If they be friends we unload the vessel, and run up our boats into the cave again, then the vessel stands off shore until the next night, and so on until we have emptied her; but if she is not a friendly craft we act according to circumstances. Sometimes we seize her goods, if we are very short, and the articles are of any value; they can never find us out.”
“But did you never fall across any of the king’s cruisers?” said Tim.
“Yes, many a time; but, lor’ bless yer simple heart, we don’t mind them, you know.”
“Don’t you, though?”
“No, not in the least.”
“But they carry long guns, and might——”
“Exactly; but that ain’t nothing when you are used to it.”
“No, I suppose not,” said Tim, with a sigh. “A ten pound cannon shot playing nine pins with your legs ain’t nothing when you get used to it; but getting used to it is the thing,” said Tim, very slowly and solemnly; “but I shouldn’t—never.”
“Yes you would.”
“No, I shouldn’t.”