me to say so, be more
inclined, were you not a justice of the peace, to suspect you of
having dealings with these men; for your brandy is generally of the
best."

"I don't set up to be better than my neighbours, captain," the
squire said, with a laugh; "and if the chance comes my way, I will
not say that I should refuse to buy a good article, at the price I
should pay for a bad one in the town."

"Your tobacco is good, too, squire."

"Yes, I am particular about my tobacco, and I must say that I think
government lays too high a duty on it. If I had the making of the
laws, I would put a high duty on bad tobacco, and a low duty on a
good article; that would encourage the importation of good
wholesome stuff.

"I suppose you have heard no rumours of any suspicious looking
craft being heard of, off the coast?"

"No, I think that they carry on their business a good deal farther
to the west now. My post is becoming quite a sinecure. The
Henriette came into Poole this morning, but we never trouble about
her. She is a fair trader, and is well known at every port between
Portsmouth and Plymouth as such. She always comes in at daylight,
and lays her foresail aback till we board her, and send a couple of
men with her into Poole or Wareham. Her cargo is always consigned
to well-known merchants, at all the ports she enters; and consists
of wines, for the most part, though she does occasionally bring in
brandy.

"He is a fine young fellow, the skipper, Jean Martin. I believe his
father is a large wine merchant, at Nantes. I suppose you know him,
squire?"

"Yes, I have met him several times down in the town, and indeed
have bought many a barrel of wine of him. He has been up here more
than once, for I have told him, whenever he has anything
particularly good either in wine or spirits, to let me know. He
talks a little English, and my girls like to have a chat with him,
about what is going on on his side of the water. He offered, the
other day, to give Leigh a trip across to Nantes, if I was willing.

"Things seem to be going on very badly in Paris, by what he says;
but he does not anticipate any troubles in the west of France,
where there seems to be none of that ill feeling, between the
different classes, that there is in other parts."

The departure of Captain Whittier was always followed by a broad
smile on the faces of the elder boys, breaking occasionally into a
hearty laugh, in which the squire joined.

"I call hi