he fire--My curiosity overcomes my prudence--The struggle on
the beach--The luck of the "Saucy Bess," and ill-luck of Mark--I am
again captured by the smugglers--Buried in a chest--My struggle for
freedom, and its result--A vault in the old mill--My explorations in
the vault.

The next morning I found my father in his study before breakfast. I
told him of my having overheard the smugglers arranging the plans for
running a cargo shortly, and asked him whether he wished me to let Sir
Reginald know.

"You are in duty bound to do so," he answered. "At the same time you
must take care it is not known that you gave the information. He'll
certainly be pleased, and will be more inclined than before to assist
you. You had better set off directly breakfast is over, and I will
write a note for you to deliver, which will be an excuse for your
appearance at the Hall. Do not say anything about the matter to any one
else, as things that we fancy are known only to ourselves are apt to get
abroad."

I followed my father's advice, and said nothing during breakfast. As
soon as it was over I set out. Aunt Deb saw me, and shouted out, asking
me where I was going; but pretending not to hear her, I ran on. I
suspect I made her very irate. I noted the people I met on my way, and
among others I encountered Ned Burden. He looked hard at me, but said
nothing beyond returning my "Good morning, Mr Burden," with "Good
morning, Master Dick," and I passed on. I looked back shortly
afterwards for a moment, and saw that he had stopped, and was apparently
watching me. As soon as I reached the Hall I gave my father's note to a
servant, saying that I was waiting to see Sir Reginald. In a short time
the man came back and asked me to follow him into the study.

"Well, Master Richard Cheveley," remarked the baronet, without inviting
me to sit down, "I wonder you have the face to show yourself here after
what has occurred."

"What have I done, sir?" I asked with astonishment.

"Connived or assisted at the escape of the poachers I had shut up in my
strong room yesterday evening, waiting the arrival of the constables to
convey them to prison."

"I beg your pardon, Sir Reginald. You must be under a mistake," I
exclaimed. "I have in no way assisted any poachers to escape. I merely
yesterday, with your permission, visited the boy Mark Riddle. He had
been captured with two persons much older than himself, and he was, I
believe, led