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Riding from Pardon's Drive, Young Aleck noticed at last that they were not going towards the barracks. He said: "Why do you arrest me?" The Sergeant replied: "You will know that soon enough. You are now going to your own home. Tomorrow you will keep your word and go to David Humphrey's place; the next day I will come for you.
You now trust a man on the basis of his capital and credit, but if you knew he was a smart Aleck you would not care to sell him no matter how much he was worth." "Well, boys," said a New York man, "I don't have anything to do with the collecting, and I'm mighty glad of it. It's bad enough to sell goods without having to squeeze the pay out too.
"Take it down, my boy; and mind what you're about recollect you are half blind. Let's have no walking over the cliff or into one of the gullies." "I'll take care, uncle," said the boy, smiling. "I'll be back to dinner at two." The captain nodded, and Aleck was moving towards the door, when the old man rose hastily, overtook him, and grasped his hand for a moment or two.
Then your turn comes, and you ups and says, 'most as chuff as he does: `No, uncle, you says, `I give him the orflest leathering he ever had in his life. `Did you, Aleck? he says, rubbing his hands together, joyful like. `Well done, my boy, he says; `I like that. I wish I'd been there to see. Brayvo! Now go and wash your face and brush your clothes and 'air." "Think he would, Tom?"
But there was nothing horrible there to Aleck who in every case turned inland to skirt the chasm, gazing down with interest the while at the nesting-places of the sea-birds which covered nearly every ledge, each one being alive with screaming, clamouring, hungry young, straining their necks to meet the swift-winged auks and puffins that darted to and fro with newly-captured fish in their bills.
"Never a word, Aleck, thank you," answered Tom, and handed over the quarter. Left again to himself, Tom lost no time in making way, not only with the sandwiches and cake, but also some of the bread and milk, for his day's traveling had left him tremendously hungry. The bit of candle was less than two inches long , and began to splutter just as the meal was finished.
After the last of these encounters the lights began to move outward in obedience to an order given loudly from one of the boats; the regular dip-dip of oars came up, and then there was a rushing sound and a wild passionate chorus of cries from the shore. "I know," panted Aleck, with a feeling of angry indignation attacking him.
I will do it; and yet, it is simply breaking the laws of the government under which I am living. Unrighteous laws are made to be broken perhaps but then you see, I am a woman, and Mr. stands between me and the penalty . I certainly intend to teach Aleck to read; and I'll teach every other creature that wants to learn."
The rustling began, and the two next portions of the strange zigzag series of cleft were passed down easily enough, while, as he descended a couple more, Aleck felt how smoothly floor and sides were worn and carved, and began to dwell upon the time that must have elapsed and the industry bestowed upon the curious passage by the smugglers, who had by virtue of their oaths and their interest in the place kept it a secret for generations.
But the lads fell back as, with a smile full of the contempt he felt, Aleck pressed forward, marched through them with his hands in his pockets, and smiled more broadly as he heard from below a growling shout of warning from the sailor announcing what he would do if the boys didn't mind, the result being that they followed the well-grown lad at a little distance all along the pier, throwing after him not bad fish and fragments, which would, if well-aimed, have sullied the lad's clothes, but what an Irishman would have called dirty words, mingled with threats about what they would give him one of these fine days.
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