“They was fighting savage like to save their men, and the sailor chaps was glad enough to get back to their boats; but they took Eben Megg and half a dozen more along with ’em.”
“You seem to know all about it, Ness,” said Aleck, suspiciously.
“Me, Master Aleck? Well, you see, being such near neighbours like I can’t help hearing a deal. But it’s bad work smuggling, and I keep as clear of the folk as I can. Going home to bed?”
“Yes.”
“That’s right, sir. Best place, too, of a night. But how did you know the press-gang was coming?”
“I didn’t know they were coming.”
“But you were theer?” said the old gardener, suspiciously.
“I was there?” said Aleck, “because the noise woke me, coming through my open window.”
“Oh!” said the gardener. “I see.”
The next minute their ways diverged, and Aleck soon after climbed up to his bedroom window, to drop off into a sleep disturbed by fights with press-gangs and smugglers all mixed up into a strange confusion, from which he was glad to awaken and find that he had hardly time to get dressed before his uncle would be down.