, a boy; he was deaf and dumb, and as uncanny a
child as his father was a man. He was a beautiful boy to look at, with
soft fair skin and golden hair, but he had his father's cruel eyes, and
his father's cruel nature. From his babyhood his mischievousness and
wickedness knew no bounds; any bird, or animal, or even child that came
within his reach he would torment almost to death, and the more his victim
writhed and screamed, the greater was his delight.

When he was but six he was found one day on the headland, dancing in
frantic joy, and pointing with gestures of delight to the beach below.
Hurrying down they found the mangled and bleeding corpse of a little
child, his companion, whom he had enticed to the edge of the cliff, and,
by an unexpected push, sent headlong on to the rocks beneath. From that
day he was always to be found on the tragic spot, and when a stranger
passed he would make unearthly sounds of delight, and pointing down to the
beach, dance and throw himself about in ecstasy.

All this time Coppinger and his gang grew more and more reckless and
daring, until they were the scourge of the country-side. To what lengths
they might have gone, no earthly powers can tell, but money became scarce,
and times grew bad for them. Armed King's cutters came, not singly,
but in great numbers, and tidings of danger were brought to Cruel
Coppinger by strangely dressed foreigners.

And so, at last, things came to a climax, and deliverance was at hand for
the poor suffering people.

Just such another time as preceded Coppinger's arrival, burst again on
that coast; the rain and hail came down in sheets, the gale blew furiously
all day. At sunset a vessel appeared off the coast--full-rigged.

Presently a rocket went up from the Gull Rock,--a little rock island with
a creek on the landside, a spot where many smugglings had taken place.
A gun answered from the ship, again both signals were sent up. Then, on
the topmost peak of the rock, appeared the huge form of Coppinger.
He waved his sword, and a boat immediately put off from the ship, with two
men at each oar, for the tide is terribly strong just there. They neared
the rock, rode boldly through the surf, and were steered into the Gull
Creek by someone who evidently knew the coast well.

Then Coppinger, who was standing impatiently awaiting them, leapt on board
and took the command.

Their efforts to get back to the vessel were enormous. Like giants they
lab