. And after all, what is life to a man who
is young, and has no children? Better over, better done with, before
the troubles and the disappointment come, the weariness, and the loss of
power, and the sense of growing old, and seeing the little ones hungry.
Life is such a fleeting vapor--I smell some man sucking peppermint! The
smell of it goes on the wind for a mile. Oh! Cadman again, as usual.
Peppermint in the Royal Coast-Guard! Away with it, you ancient beldame!"

Muttering something about his bad tooth, the man flung his lozenge away;
and his eyes flashed fire in the moonlight, while the rest grinned a low
grin at him. And Adam Andrews, sitting next him, saw him lay hands upon
his musketoon.

"Are your firelocks all primed, my lads?" the commander asked, quite as
if he had seen him, although he had not been noticing; and the foremost
to answer "Ay, ay, sir," was Cadman.

"Then be sure that you fire not, except at my command. We will take them
without shedding blood, if it may be. But happen what will, we must have
Lyth."

With these words, Carroway drew his sword, and laid it on the bench
beside him; and the rest (who would rather use steel than powder) felt
that their hangers were ready. Few of them wished to strike at all;
for vexed as they were with the smugglers for having outwitted them
so often, as yet there was no bad blood between them, such as must be
quenched with death. And some of them had friends, and even relatives,
among the large body of free-traders, and counted it too likely that
they might be here.

Meanwhile in the cave there was rare work going on, speedily, cleverly,
and with a merry noise. There was only one boat, with a crew of six men,
besides Robin Lyth the captain; but the six men made noise enough for
twelve, and the echoes made it into twice enough for any twenty-four.
The crew were trusty, hardy fellows, who liked their joke, and could
work with it; and Robin Lyth knew them too well to attempt any high
authority of gagging. The main of their cargo was landed and gone
inland, as snugly as need be; and having kept beautifully sober over
that, they were taking the liberty of beginning to say, or rather sip,
the grace of the fine indulgence due to them.

Pleasant times make pleasant scenes, and everything now was fair
and large in this happy cave of freedom. Lights of bright resin were
burning, with strong flare and fume, upon shelves of rock; dark water
softly went lapping round the