ouldn't come along the
cliff this side."

"Ness Dunning?" cried the man, scowling. "What did he say?"

"That I'd better go the other way. Behaved just like a silly plover
which wants to prove to you that it has no nest on the moor, and sets
you looking for it."

"Ness Dunning's an old fool," cried the man, fiercely.

"Yes, he is a thick-headed old noodle, Eben; I wouldn't trust him."

"Then because he did that he made you think there was something hid
somewhere and come to hunt for it, did you?" cried the man, angrily.

"No, I didn't think anything of the kind till just this minute, but I
see now. You're not much wiser than old Ness, Eben, for you've been
trying to throw me off the scent too, and now I know as well as if I
could see it that you people have been running a cargo, and you've got
it hidden in one of the caves or sunk in one of the holes."

"What yer talking about?"

"Smuggled goods, Eben. I could find it if I tried now."

The man stepped down from the shelf on which he had been standing, and
made a great show of being exceedingly ferocious, evidently thinking
that the boy would turn and run away. But Aleck stood fast, not even
stirring when the man was close up, planting his doubled fists upon his
hips and thrusting out his lower jaw in a peculiarly animal-like way.

"So you're going to look and see if you can find something hidden, and
when you've found it you're going to send word to the Revenue cutter men
to fetch it, are yer?"

"Who says I am?" said Aleck, sharply.

"Who says it? Why, I do, my lad. So that's what you think you're going
to do, is it?"

"No," said the lad, coolly enough. "Why should I? It's no business of
mine."

"Ho!" growled the man, frowning, and raising one hand to rub his short,
crisp, black beard. "No," he said, after a pause, "it arn't no business
of yours, is it?"

"Of course not," said the boy, coolly. "I don't want to know where the
run cargo's hidden, and I wasn't looking for it. I only came to watch
the birds and get a few eggs if I saw any that I hadn't got."

The man made a sudden quick movement and caught Aleck's right wrist
tightly, leaning forward as if to pierce his eyes with the fierce look
he gave.

"Don't do that--you hurt!" cried Aleck, sharply.

"Yes, I mean to hurt," growled the man. "Now, then, look at me! Is
that true?"

"Do you hear, Eben Megg? You hurt me. Let go, or I shall hit out."

"You'll do what?" cried the big fe