now I was beginning to doubt whether I might not have been mistaken;
especially when we heard, as we did, of arms being landed at Lynmouth,
in the dead of the night, and of the tramp of men having reached some
one's ears, from a hill where a famous echo was. For it must be plain to
any conspirator (without the example of the Doones) that for the secret
muster of men and the stowing of unlawful arms, and communication by
beacon lights, scarcely a fitter place could be found than the wilds
of Exmoor, with deep ravines running far inland from an unwatched and
mostly a sheltered sea. For the Channel from Countisbury Foreland up
to Minehead, or even farther, though rocky, and gusty, and full of
currents, is safe from great rollers and the sweeping power of the
south-west storms, which prevail with us more than all the others, and
make sad work on the opposite coast.

But even supposing it probable that something against King Charles
the Second (or rather against his Roman advisers, and especially his
brother) were now in preparation amongst us, was it likely that Master
Huckaback, a wealthy man, and a careful one, known moreover to the Lord
Chief Justice, would have anything to do with it? To this I could
make no answer; Uncle Ben was so close a man, so avaricious, and so
revengeful, that it was quite impossible to say what course he
might pursue, without knowing all the chances of gain, or rise, or
satisfaction to him. That he hated the Papists I knew full well, though
he never spoke much about them; also that he had followed the march of
Oliver Cromwell's army, but more as a suttler (people said) than as a
real soldier; and that he would go a long way, and risk a great deal
of money, to have his revenge on the Doones; although their name never
passed his lips during the present visit.

But how was it likely to be as to the Doones themselves? Which side
would they probably take in the coming movement, if movement indeed it
would be? So far as they had any religion at all, by birth they were
Roman Catholics--so much I knew from Lorna; and indeed it was well known
all around, that a priest had been fetched more than once to the valley,
to soothe some poor outlaw's departure. On the other hand, they were
not likely to entertain much affection for the son of the man who had
banished them and confiscated their property. And it was not at all
impossible that desperate men, such as they were, having nothing to
lose, but estates