ed to take their way round by a circuitous road
till they could gain the level of the beach. By that time the daring
smuggler was lost to sight.

In the meantime, the foot soldiers hurried along the top of the downs to
stop him should he desert his horse and attempt to escape by climbing up
the cliffs and make his way across the country.

The sergeant and his men made comparatively slow progress over the
sands. They discovered too that the tide was rising, and had good
reason to fear that they might be caught under the cliffs, and be
carried off by the sea which was rolling in with a sullen roar.

The sergeant at the same moment fancied he could discern the figure of a
horseman at some distance ahead, close under the cliffs, and already
surrounded by water. The steed was plunging and rearing, while the
rider in vain endeavoured to urge him forward. Presently, both together
disappeared, overwhelmed by a sea which rolled in, and broke in masses
of spray against the foot of the cliff. Not far off a dark object,
which might have been a boat, was seen.

However, the advancing sea warned the sergeant that he and his men must
beat a rapid retreat, or run the risk of losing their horses, if not
their lives. They had, indeed, to plunge through the sea up to their
horses' girths before they regained the end of the cliff, where they
were once more in safety.

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR.

SURPRISES.

Since we last met Adam Halliburt the _Nancy_ had shared the fate of
other craft; her stout planks and timbers gradually yielding to age, she
had become too leaky to put to sea, and had been broken up for firewood.
Adam having no sons to help him, had taken to inshore fishing in a
small boat which he and a lad could manage. The dame's baskets were,
however, still well supplied with fish.

Honest Jacob, to his parents' joy, had arrived at home. Adam was about
to set out on his daily fishing.

"I will go with you, father," he said; "maybe with my help you will
sooner be able to get back."

The dame, glad that Adam should enjoy his son's company, was willing to
wait till their return, to hear all Jacob had to tell them.

They stood away under sail to the south, where the best fishing ground
lay.

Seldom had Adam been so happy as he was listening to Jacob's account of
his adventures, and not often had he been more successful in making a
good catch of fish.

The evening was drawing on, and it was time to return, when the