miles off. But the smugglers had been reinforced, and
were now pursuing them with the avowed purpose of recovering the goods,
and putting to death the officers who had presumed to do their duty. The
men said that, their horses being loaded, and the pursuers gaining ground
upon them, they had fled to Woodbourne, conceiving that, as my father had
served the King, he would not refuse to protect the servants of
government when threatened to be murdered in the discharge of their duty.

'My father, to whom, in his enthusiastic feelings of military loyalty,
even a dog would be of importance if he came in the King's name, gave
prompt orders for securing the goods in the hall, arming the servants,
and defending the house in case it should be necessary. Hazlewood
seconded him with great spirit, and even the strange animal they call
Sampson stalked out of his den, and seized upon a fowling-piece which my
father had laid aside to take what they call a rifle-gun, with which they
shoot tigers, etc., in the East. The piece went off in the awkward hands
of the poor parson, and very nearly shot one of the excisemen. At this
unexpected and involuntary explosion of his weapon, the Dominie (such is
his nickname) exclaimed, "Prodigious!" which is his usual ejaculation
when astonished. But no power could force the man to part with his
discharged piece, so they were content to let him retain it, with the
precaution of trusting him with no ammunition. This (excepting the alarm
occasioned by the report) escaped my notice at the time, you may easily
believe; but, in talking over the scene afterwards, Hazlewood made us
very merry with the Dominie's ignorant but zealous valour.

'When my father had got everything into proper order for defence, and his
people stationed at the windows with their firearms, he wanted to order
us out of danger--into the cellar, I believe--but we could not be
prevailed upon to stir. Though terrified to death, I have so much of his
own spirit that I would look upon the peril which threatens us rather
than hear it rage around me without knowing its nature or its progress.
Lucy, looking as pale as a marble statue, and keeping her eyes fixed on
Hazlewood, seemed not even to hear the prayers with which he conjured her
to leave the front of the house. But in truth, unless the hall-door
should be forced, we were in little danger; the windows being almost
blocked up with cushions and pillows, and, what the Dominie most
lamented