sh Lady at ten o'clock."

"Iss, sur," was the reply.

"They cannot get a boat nearer than Sennen Cove, can they?"

"'Tes the only place a booat can be got to-night."

"And it could not be got without your knowledge?"

"No, sur."

"You are quite sure?"

"Iss."

"And you have given orders as I directed?"

"Iss, that I 'ave for sure."

"Very good; but keep a sharp look-out. I shall be at the Ship Inn at
Sennen. If by any means they launch a boat let me know."

"I've put six men to watch, sur."

"That's all right."

They passed within six feet of me, but they did not see me. A few
seconds later they were out of sight. So far I was safe, then, but what
did this conversation mean? Who was this man who had been watching my
actions, and what could be his purpose? He spoke like an educated man,
and I could not imagine why he should place six men to watch the coast.
Was he a creature of Richard Tresidder, or did he belong to Cap'n Jack
Truscott's gang?

"I must go and find Eli," I thought, so I made my way toward the Irish
Lady as fast as I was able. I had just reached a part of the cliff where
it was safe to descend to the beach when I saw a dark object creeping
toward me. I was about to rush toward it and grapple with it when I
heard Eli's voice.

"Summin in the wind, Maaster Jasper. Somebody 'ave hired all the
booats."

I was not surprised at his words; what I had heard previously prepared
me for them.

"I tried to stall one, but 'twas no use. All the cove is watched."

"What have you done, then?"

"Nothin'. I did'n want nobody to take notice of me."

For once my slow-thinking mind was able to hit upon a plan. I remembered
when I was with Cap'n Jack's gang hearing of a cave in Gramper Bay, not
far from the Irish Lady, where smugglers landed their goods. One of
Cap'n Jack's men had pointed it out to me, and had told me that a gang
who worked with them sometimes often kept a boat in it.

This I told to Eli, who immediately suggested our trying to find it.

"What we do we must do dreckly, Maaster Jasper," he said; "they be
watchin' for we."

I felt the truth of his words, and a few minutes later we had
accomplished a precipitous and dangerous descent to the shore beneath.
We should have got down more quickly but for the tools which I carried.

We searched very quietly, very cautiously, for I remembered what I had
heard, and were not long in finding out the cave I have mentioned.

I may say here t