was merely the difference between one grey and another, his eyes had become accustomed to the dark and he could see a small patch of sea and the sharp outlines of the cliffs falling to the rocks beneath them.
There was the sound of men’s voices giving orders, then the crunch of feet on shingle.
Lord Cheriton knew that if the boat was a lugger and too large to come right into the creek, a human chain of tub-carriers would be formed, the unlucky ones waist deep in the surf, while the tubs and the dry goods would be passed rapidly hand to hand to the shore.
The main difficulty in catching smugglers while at sea was the superb sailing ability to windward of the huge smuggling luggers.
Their great waterline length gave them a high maximum speed, then the lugsail, not being fastened at its leading edge to the thick mast, developed an ‘aerofoil’ shape.
This meant that a lugger not only could sail faster but could also sail closer to the wind.
Smaller smuggling vessels were also rigged as ‘cutters,’ with the mobility of their long bowsprits making the job of the Preventative Service even more arduous.
Now there were voices and the sound of footsteps of those coming up from the beach carrying tubs to be loaded onto the waiting ponies.
It was difficult for Lord Cheriton to see very much, since the smugglers used no lights.
They would have known by instinct and long practice exactly what to do, and he heard several men grunt as they lifted the heavy load from their shoulders onto a saddle.
Then, doubtless wiping the sweat from their foreheads, they hurried down to the boat again.
Suddenly quite near to him, Lord Cheriton heard a man speak.
It was in fact so near that it startled him and for a moment he held his breath in case he had been discovered.
Then a man said,
“I want to tell you somethin’, Jeffrey.”
It was a rough voice, and low, and yet it was perfectly audible to Lord Cheriton.
“What’s happened?”
It was obviously Farlow who was answering.
“Nothin’ bad, but somemat that might interest you.”
“What’s that?”
“The chance of earning forty thousand pounds!”
“Forty thousand pounds? How the hell could we do that, Tom?”
Now Lord Cheriton guessed who was speaking, and he was also sure that he had found the leader of the larks gang.
It was Tom Johnson, the famous smuggler who headed the list that had been compiled for Lord Cheriton in London.
“What’ve we got to do to get money like that?” Farlow asked and there was a greedy note in his voice.
“Rescue Bonaparte!”
For a moment there was silence.
Then Farlow asked incredulously,
“Are you serious?”
“Completely serious. His friends have approached me and there’s no doubt they’re prepared to pay forty thousand pounds or more if we’re successful.”
“In getting him away from Elba? Impossible!”
“Why should it be impossible?”
“Do you really mean you’re contemplating undertaking such a risk?”
“Why not? At the rate of profit we’re making with this lot, t’would take years to make as much as that.”
“That’s true,” Farlow answered, “but he’ll be guarded – heavily guarded.”
“On an island? I doubt it! They’ll rely on the sea. According to his French friends, they’re not being over arduous in watching him, seeing as how he’s been defeated.”
There was silence, then Farlow said,
“It’s certainly worth considering.”
“You’ll have to make up your mind soon. If we refuse, there’re others who’d jump at the chance of so much money.”
“If it’s possible to be done, you’re the only man, Tom, who could do it”
“That’s what I thinks myself, and on that money I’d retire.”
“And so would I,” Farlow said. “A country gentleman, highly respectable.”
He gave a low laugh as if the idea pleased him. Lord Cheriton had the idea that he was thinking of Wivina – and he longed to get his hands on Farlow’s throat.
Then Farlow asked,
“You’re
There was the sound of men’s voices giving orders, then the crunch of feet on shingle.
Lord Cheriton knew that if the boat was a lugger and too large to come right into the creek, a human chain of tub-carriers would be formed, the unlucky ones waist deep in the surf, while the tubs and the dry goods would be passed rapidly hand to hand to the shore.
The main difficulty in catching smugglers while at sea was the superb sailing ability to windward of the huge smuggling luggers.
Their great waterline length gave them a high maximum speed, then the lugsail, not being fastened at its leading edge to the thick mast, developed an ‘aerofoil’ shape.
This meant that a lugger not only could sail faster but could also sail closer to the wind.
Smaller smuggling vessels were also rigged as ‘cutters,’ with the mobility of their long bowsprits making the job of the Preventative Service even more arduous.
Now there were voices and the sound of footsteps of those coming up from the beach carrying tubs to be loaded onto the waiting ponies.
It was difficult for Lord Cheriton to see very much, since the smugglers used no lights.
They would have known by instinct and long practice exactly what to do, and he heard several men grunt as they lifted the heavy load from their shoulders onto a saddle.
Then, doubtless wiping the sweat from their foreheads, they hurried down to the boat again.
Suddenly quite near to him, Lord Cheriton heard a man speak.
It was in fact so near that it startled him and for a moment he held his breath in case he had been discovered.
Then a man said,
“I want to tell you somethin’, Jeffrey.”
It was a rough voice, and low, and yet it was perfectly audible to Lord Cheriton.
“What’s happened?”
It was obviously Farlow who was answering.
“Nothin’ bad, but somemat that might interest you.”
“What’s that?”
“The chance of earning forty thousand pounds!”
“Forty thousand pounds? How the hell could we do that, Tom?”
Now Lord Cheriton guessed who was speaking, and he was also sure that he had found the leader of the larks gang.
It was Tom Johnson, the famous smuggler who headed the list that had been compiled for Lord Cheriton in London.
“What’ve we got to do to get money like that?” Farlow asked and there was a greedy note in his voice.
“Rescue Bonaparte!”
For a moment there was silence.
Then Farlow asked incredulously,
“Are you serious?”
“Completely serious. His friends have approached me and there’s no doubt they’re prepared to pay forty thousand pounds or more if we’re successful.”
“In getting him away from Elba? Impossible!”
“Why should it be impossible?”
“Do you really mean you’re contemplating undertaking such a risk?”
“Why not? At the rate of profit we’re making with this lot, t’would take years to make as much as that.”
“That’s true,” Farlow answered, “but he’ll be guarded – heavily guarded.”
“On an island? I doubt it! They’ll rely on the sea. According to his French friends, they’re not being over arduous in watching him, seeing as how he’s been defeated.”
There was silence, then Farlow said,
“It’s certainly worth considering.”
“You’ll have to make up your mind soon. If we refuse, there’re others who’d jump at the chance of so much money.”
“If it’s possible to be done, you’re the only man, Tom, who could do it”
“That’s what I thinks myself, and on that money I’d retire.”
“And so would I,” Farlow said. “A country gentleman, highly respectable.”
He gave a low laugh as if the idea pleased him. Lord Cheriton had the idea that he was thinking of Wivina – and he longed to get his hands on Farlow’s throat.
Then Farlow asked,
“You’re
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