“I know you will, my boy,” he replied, “and I’m going to treat you now as I would a counsellor. This is a very unfortunate business, my boy.”

“What, our seeing the smugglers last night?”

He nodded.

“Did you think, then, like I did, that it was Jonas Uggleston’s boat?”

“I did, my boy.”

“But it was not, father.”

“No, my boy; but—”

“You think Jonas Uggleston knew the boat was coming, and he knows all about that hiding-place, father?”

“Is that what you have been thinking, Sep?”

“Yes, father.”