han that of
irritability. As he walked towards the beach he kept muttering to
himself, but in such a tone that his companion lost not a word,
'Smuggling fellow--Aye, smuggler--and, start your cargo into the
sea--and be ready to start for the Hebrides, or Sweden--or the devil,
I suppose. Well, and what if I said in answer--Rebel, Jacobite--traitor;
I'll make you and your d----d confederates walk the plank--I have seen
better men do it--half a score of a morning--when I was across the
Line.'

'D--d unhandsome terms those Redgauntlet used to you, brother.' said
Nixon.

'Which do you mean?' said Ewart, starting, and recollecting himself. 'I
have been at my old trade of thinking aloud, have I?'

'No matter,' answered Nixon, 'none but a friend heard you. You cannot
have forgotten how Redgauntlet disarmed you this morning.'

'Why, I would bear no malice about that--only he is so cursedly high and
saucy,' said Ewart.

'And then,' said Nixon,'I know you for a true-hearted Protestant.'

'That I am, by G--,' said Ewart. 'No, the Spaniards could never get my
religion from me.'

'And a friend to King George, and the Hanover line of succession,' said
Nixon, still walking and speaking very slow.

'You may swear I am, excepting in the way of business, as Turnpenny
says. I like King George, but I can't afford to pay duties.'

'You are outlawed, I believe,' said Nixon.

'Am I?--faith, I believe I am,' said Ewart. 'I wish I were INLAWED
again with all my heart. But come along, we must get all ready for our
peremptory gentleman, I suppose.'

'I will teach you a better trick,' said Nixon. 'There is a bloody pack
of rebels yonder.'

'Aye, we all know that,' said the smuggler; 'but the snowball's melting,
I think.'

'There is some one yonder, whose head is worth--thirty
thousand--pounds--of sterling money,' said Nixon, pausing between each
word, as if to enforce the magnificence of the sum.

'And what of that?' said Ewart, quickly.

'Only that, instead of lying by the pier with your men on their oars, if
you will just carry your boat on board just now, and take no notice of
any signal from the shore, by G--d, Nanty Ewart. I will make a man of
you for life!'

'Oh ho! then the Jacobite gentry are not so safe as they think
themselves?' said Nanty.

'In an hour or two,' replied Nixon, 'they will be made safer in Carlisle
Castle.'

'The devil they will!' said Ewart; 'and you have been the informer, I
suppose?'

'Yes; I