tly satisfied, Wilkinson adding that though he had not objected to
the Deal smuggling project he throughout considered the risk too heavy
to adventure. I told them that Mr. Mason believed he could immediately
find a purchaser for the small-arms, in which case they would have to be
sent privately ashore; and to give a proper colour to this ruse I made
them pack away all the remaining weapons in the arms-room and carry them
to the run, ready to be taken with the other chests.

Once fairly round the Forelands half my anxieties fell from me. There
was no longer the French cruiser or privateer to be feared, and however
wonderingly the people of my own country's vessels might stare at the
uncommon figure of my schooner, they could find no excuse to board us.
Besides, as I have said, I was greatly helped by the weather, which
continuing hazy, though happily never so thick as to oblige me to stop,
delivered me to the sight only of such vessels as passed close, and
offered me as a mere smudge to the shore.

We arrived off Barking Level on the Thursday night, and dropped anchor
close to a lighter that lay there with a large boat hanging by her. It
was then very dark. The first person to come on board was Mason. He was
followed by several men, one of whom he introduced to me as his head
clerk, who would see to the unloading of the schooner and to the
transhipment of the goods to the ship in the Pool. He informed me that
there was a covered van waiting on shore; and telling Wilkinson that the
small-arms had been disposed of, and that Mr. Mason would hand over the
proceeds on our calling at his office, I went with a party of my
relative's men into the run and presently had the whole of the chests in
the boat. Mason went with her.

Then, as she disappeared in the darkness, but not till then, did I draw
the first easy breath I had fetched since the hour of the collision of
the _Laughing Mary_ with the iceberg. A sob shook me: I had gone through
much: many wonderful things had happened to me: I had been delivered
from such perils that the mere recollection of them will stir my hair,
though it is years since; my duty I knew, and I discharged it by
withdrawing to my cabin and kneeling with humble and grateful heart
before the throne of that Being to whom I owed everything.

POSTSCRIPT.

Here concludes the remarkable narrative of Mr. Paul Rodney. It is to be
wished that he had found the patience to tell us a little more. The