When William returned to his foster-father he informed him that he did not mean to have anything more to do with the smuggling.
The old man looked at him in astonishment. Are you mad? he said. Dont I get five shillings for every night you are out, generally four or five nights a month, which pays for all your food.
I am sorry, the lad said, but I never knew that it was wrong before, and now I know it I mean to have nothing more to do with it. What good comes of it? Here we have three empty cottages, and five or six others from which the heads will be absent for years. It is dear at any price. I work hard with you, father, and am never slack; surely the money I earn in the boat more than pays for my grub.
I can guess who told you this, the old man said angrily.It was that parsons daughter you are always with.
Dont say anything against her, the boy said earnestly;she has been the best friend to me that ever a fellow had, and as long as I live I shall feel grateful to her. You know that I am not like the other boys of the village; I can read and write well, and I have gathered a lot of knowledge from books. Abuse me as much as you like, but say nothing against her. You know that the terms on which you took me expired a year ago, but I have gone on just as before and am ready to do the same for a time.
You have been a good lad, the old man said, mollified,and I dont know what I should have done without you. I am nigh past work now, but in the ten years you have been with me things have always gone well with me, and I have money enough to make a shift with for the rest of my life, even if I work no longer. But I dont like this freak that you have taken into your head. It will mean trouble, lad, as sure as you are standing there. The men here wont understand you, and will like enough think that the revenue people have got hold of you. You will be shown the cold shoulder, and even worse than that may befall you. We fisher-folk are rough and ready in our ways, and if there is one thing we hate more than another it is a spy.
I have no intention of being a spy, the boy said. I have spoken to none of the revenue men, and dont mean to do so, and I would not peach even if I were certain that a cargo was going to be landed. Surely it is possible to stand aside from it all without being suspected of having gone over to the enemy. No gold that they could give me would tempt me to say a word that would lead to the failure of a landing, and surely there can be no great offence in declining to act longer as a watcher.
The old man shook his head.
A wilful man must have his way, he said; but I know our fellows better than you do, and I foresee that serious trouble is likely to come of this.
Well, if it must be, it must, the boy said doggedly. I mean, if I live, to be a good man, and now that I know that it is wrong to cheat the revenue I will have no more to do with it. It would be a nice reward for all the pains Miss Warden has spent upon me to turn round and do what she tells me is wrong.
John Hammond was getting to the age when few things excite more than a feeble surprise. He felt that the loss of the boys assistance would be a heavy one, for he had done no small share of the work for the past two years. But he had more than once lately talked to his wife of the necessity for selling his boat and nets and remaining at home. With this decision she quite agreed, feeling that he was indeed becoming incapable of doing the work, and every time he had gone out in anything but the calmest weather she had been filled with apprehension as to what would happen if a storm were to blow up. He was really sorry for the boy, being convinced that harm would befall him as the result of this, to him, astonishing decision. To John Hammond smuggling appeared to be quite justifiable. The village had always been noted as a nest of smugglers, and to him it came as natural as fishing. It was a pity, a grievous pity, that the boy should have taken so strange a fancy.
He was a good boy, a hard-working boy, and the only fault he had to find with him was his unaccountable liking for study. John could neither read nor write, and for the life of him could not see what good came of it. He had always got on well without it, and when the school was first started he and many others shook their heads gravely over it, and regarded it as a fad of the parsons. Still, as it only affected children too young to be useful in the boats, they offered no active opposition, and in time the school had come to be regarded as chiefly a place where the youngsters were kept out of their mothers way when washing and cooking were going on.
He went slowly back into the cottage and acquainted his wife with this new and astonishing development on the part of the boy. His wife was full of indignation, which was, however, modified at the thought that she would now have her husband always at home with her.
I shall speak my mind to Miss Warden, she said, and tell her how much harm her advice has done.
No, no, Jenny, her husband said; what is the use of that? It is the parsons duty to be meddling in all sorts of matters, and it will do no good to fight against it. Parson is a good man, all allow, and he always finishes his sermons in time for us to get home to dinner. I agree with you that the young madam has done harm, and I greatly fear that trouble will come to the boy. There are places where smuggling is thought to be wrong, but this place aint among them. I dont know what will happen when Will says that he doesnt mean to go any more as a watcher, but there is sure to be trouble of some sort.
It was not long indeed before Will felt a change in the village. Previous to this he had been generally popular, now men passed without seeing him. He was glad when John Hammond called upon him to go out in the boat, when the weather was fine, but at other times his only recourse was to steal away to the moors with his books. Presently the elder boys took to throwing sods at him as he passed, and calling spy and other opprobrious epithets after him. This brought on several severe fights, and as Will made up for want of weight by pluck and activity his opponents more than once found themselves badly beaten. One day he learned from a subdued excitement in the village that it was time for one of the smuggling vessels to arrive. One of his boyish friends had stuck to him, and was himself almost under a ban for associating with so unpopular a character.
Dont you come with me, Stevens, Will had urged again and again; you will only make it bad for yourself, and it will do me no good.
I dont care, the former said sturdily. We have always been good friends, and you know I dont in the least believe that you have anything to do with the revenue men. It is too bad of them to say so. I fought Tom Dickson only this morning for abusing you. He said if you were not working with them, why did you give up being on the watch. I told him it was no odds to me why you gave it up, I supposed that you had a right to do as you liked. Then from words we came to blows. I dont say I beat him, for he is a good bit bigger than I am, but I gave him as good as I got, and he was as glad to stop as I was. You talk of going away soon. If you do, and you will take me, I will go with you.
I dont know yet where I am going, Tommy, but if I go to a town I have no doubt I shall be able in a short time to hear of someone there who wants a strong lad, or perhaps I may be able to get you a berth as cabin-boy in the ship in which I go. I mean to go for a sailor myself if I can, and I shall be glad to have you as a chum on board. We have always been great friends, and I am sure we always shall be, Tommy. If I were you I would think it over a good many times before you decide upon it. You see I have learnt a great deal from books to prepare myself for a sea life. Miss Warden is going to try to get me taken as an apprentice, and in that case I may hope to get to be an officer when my time is out, but you would not have much chance of doing so. Of course if we were together I could help you on. So far you have never cared for books or to improve yourself, and without that you can never rise to be any more than a common sailor.
I hate books, the boy said; still, I will try what I can do. But at any rate I dont care much so that I am with you.
Well, we will see about it when the time comes, Tommy. Miss Warden was married, as you know, last week. In another three months she will be at Scarborough, and she has promised that her husband will try to get me apprenticed either there or at Whitby, which is a large port. Directly I get on board a ship I will let you know if there is a vacancy in her for a cabin-boy. But you think it over well first; you will find it difficult, for I dont expect your uncle will let you go.
I dont care a snap about him. He is always knocking me about, and I dont care what he likes and what he dont. You may be sure that I shant ask him, but shall make off at night as soon as I hear from you. You wont forget me, will you, Will?
Certainly I will not; you may be quite sure of that. Mind, I dont promise that I shall be able to get you a berth as cabin-boy at once, or as an apprentice. I only promise that I will do so as soon as I have a chance. It may be a month, and it may be a year; it may even be three or four years, for though there is always a demand for men, at least so I have heard, there may not be any demand for boys. But you may be sure that I will not keep you waiting any longer than I can help.
One day Will was walking along the cliffs, feeling very solitary, when he heard a faint cry, and, looking down, saw Tom Stevens in a deep pool. It had precipitous sides, and he was evidently unable to climb out. Hold on, Tom, he shouted, I will come to you.
It was half a mile before he could get to a place where he was able to climb down, and when he reached the shore he ran with breathless speed to the spot where Toms head was still above the water. He saw at once that his friends strength was well-nigh spent, and, leaping in, he swam to him. Put your arms round my neck, he said. I will swim down with you to the point where the creek ends. The boy was too far gone to speak, and it needed all Wills strength to help him down the deep pool to the point where it joined the sea, and then to haul him ashore.
I was nearly gone, Will, the boy said when he recovered a little.
Yes, I saw that. But how on earth did you manage to get into the water?
I was running along by the side of the cliff, when my foot slipped. I came down on my knee and hurt myself frightfully; I was in such pain that I could not stop myself from rolling over. I tried to swim, which, of course, would have been nothing for me, but I think my knee is smashed, and it hurt me so frightfully that I screamed out with pain, and had to give up. I could not have held on much longer, and should certainly have been drowned had you not seen me. I was never so pleased as when I heard your voice above.
Can you walk now, do you think?
No, I am sure I cant walk by myself, but I might if I leant on you. I will try anyhow.
He hobbled along for a short distance, but at last said: It is of no use, Will, I cant go any farther.
Well, get on my back and I will see what I can do for you.
Slowly and with many stoppages Will got him to the point where he descended the cliff. I must get help to carry you up here, Tom; it is very steep, and I am sure I could not take you myself. I must go into the village and bring assistance.
I will wait here till morning, Will. There will be no hardship in that, and I know that you dont like speaking to anyone.
I will manage it, Will said cheerfully. I will tell John Hammond, and he will go to your uncle and get help.
Ah, that will do! Most of the men are out, but I dare say there will be two or three at home.
Will ran all the way back to the village, which was more than a mile away. Tom Stevens is lying at the foot of the cliff, father. I think he has broken his leg, and he has been nearly drowned. Will you go and see his uncle, and get three or four men to carry him home. You know very well it is no use my going to his uncle. He would not listen to what I have to say, and would simply shower abuse upon me.
I will go, the old man said. The boy cant be left there.
In a quarter of an hour the men started. Will went ahead of them for some distance until he reached the top of the path. He is down at the bottom, he said, and turned away. Tom was brought home, and roundly abused by his uncle for injuring himself so that he would be unable to accompany him in his boat for some days. He lay for a week in bed, and was then only able to hobble about with the aid of a stick. When he related how Will had saved him there was a slight revulsion of feeling among the better-disposed boys, but this was of short duration. It became known that a French lugger would soon be on the coast. Will was not allowed to approach the edge of the cliff, being assailed by curses and threats if he ventured to do so. Every care was taken to throw the coast-guard off the scent, but things went badly. There was some sharp fighting, and a considerable portion of the cargo was seized as it was being carried up the cliff.
The next day Tom hurried up to Will, who was a short way out on the moor.
You must run for your life, Will. There are four or five of the men who say that you betrayed them last night, and I do believe they will throw you over the cliff. Here they come! The best thing you can do is to make for the coast-guard station.
Will saw that the four men who were coming along were among the roughest in the village, and started off immediately at full speed. With oaths and shouts the men pursued him. The coast-guard station was two miles away, and he reached it fifty yards in front of them. The men stopped, shouting:You are safe there, but as soon as you leave it we will have you.
What is the matter, lad? the sub-officer in charge of the station said.
Those men say that I betrayed them, but you know tis false, sir.
Certainly I do. I know you well by sight, and believe that you are a good young fellow. I have always heard you well spoken of. What makes them think that?
It is because I would not agree to go on acting as watcher. I did not know that there was any harm in it till Miss Warden told me, and then I would not do it any longer, and that set all the village against me.
What are you going to do?
I will stay here to-night if you will let me. I am sure they will keep up a watch for me.
I will sling a hammock for you, the man said. Now we are just going to have dinner, and I dare say you can eat something. You are the boy they call Miss Wardens pet, are you not?
Yes, they call me so. She has been very kind to me, and has helped me on with my books.
Ah, well, a boy is sure to get disliked by his fellows when he is cleverer with his books than they are!
After dinner the officer said: It is quite clear that you wont be able to return to the village. I think I have heard that you have no father. Is it not so?
Yes, he died when I was five years old. He left a little money, and John Hammond took me in and bought a boat with that and what he had saved. I was bound to stay with him until I was fourteen years old, but was soon going to leave him, for he is really too old to go out any longer.
Have you ever thought of going into the royal navy?
I have thought of it, sir, but I have not settled anything. I thought of going into the merchant navy.
Bah! I am surprised at a lad of spirit like you thinking of such a thing. If you have learned a lot you will, if you are steady, be sure to get on in time, and may very well become a petty officer. No lad of spirit would take to the life of a merchantman who could enter the navy. I dont say that some of the Indiamen are not fine ships, but you would find it very hard to get a berth on one of them. Our lieutenant will be over here in a day or two, and I have no doubt that if I speak to him for you he will ship you as a boy in a fine ship.