San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-10
"What is to be doneF'
"Tell me your lading," said he.

"What is to be doneF'
"Tell me your lading," said he.
gave it to him as accurately as I could.
"Why," he exclaimed, "a single boat would
take long time to discharge ye; observe the
perils-seVeral boats would mean a large
number of men; they would eat you up;
they would demand so much you would have
nothing left. And suppose they opened the
chests! No, your scheme is worthless"
whats to do, then, in Gods name"
s'Tll tell you'll" he exclaimed, smiling with
the complacency of man who is master of
reat fancy. ~ shall sail to Dover at once.
It's now a quarter past T. Give me twelve
hours to make Dover; shall post straight to
London and be there by early morning. Now.
Paul, attend you to this. Today is Wednes-
day; by tomorrow night you must contrive
to bring your ship to an anchor off Barking
Level"
"The Thames" cried.
He nodded.
Hooked at him anxiously He leaned to
me, putting his hand on my leg.
81 own lighter" said he. "She will he
alongside of you at dusk. l have people of
my own whom can trust. The lighter will
empty your hold and convey the lading to q
ship chartered by me, arrived from the Black
sea on Sunday and lying in the pool The
stuff can be sold from that ship as it is
But the chests-the chests, Mason!"
"They shall be lowered into another boat
and taken ashore and put into wagon that
will be in waiting-I in it-and driven to my
home"
clapped him on the shoulder in a trans
port.
"Nobly schemed, indeed" cried "But
|
peoples"
"No. not low down the river and at dark.
| You bring up for convenience, dye see! Mind
it is dark when you anchor A lighter and
boat shall be awaiting you 1t is down the
river, you know, that all the Jumpers drop
with the lighters they go adrift in from ships
sides. There's more safety in smuggling over
Thames mud than on this coast shingle. One
thought more: You say that Wilkinson be-
lieves the chests hold small armsr'
| "Yes.n
| ''Then account to him for sending the
chests away separately by saying that have
| found purchaser, and that they are going
to him direct. You have your cue-you see
J ALL"
"All."
LET me hurry, then, Paul. That brandy
should fetch you half a guinea pint. You
are in lucks way, Paul. See that you bring
your ship along safely. Till tomorrow
\ night"
He clasped and wrung my hand, and ran
into the cabin.
"Now, lads, off with us' he cried. "Of
to Dover! Put me ashore there smartly, and
| you shall find your account. Off now-time
pressesm
| Five minutes afterward the boat was gone.
When fortune falls in love with man she
Z makes him a bounteous mistress. Every
thing fell out as l could have desired. We
| got our anchor at 5, and by daybreak were
| off Hastings, jogging quietly along toward
| London river, the weather conveniently OBJ
scure, the wind south, and forty hours before
us to do the run in. l exactly explained my
| relatives scheme to Wilkinson and the others,
who declared themselves perfectly satifed,
| Wilkinson adding that though he had not
objected to the Deal smuggling project he
| throughout considered the risk too heavy
to adventure. l told them that Mr.. Mason
believed he could Immediately find pur-
chaser for the small arms, in which case
they would have to be sent privately ashore;
and to give a proper color to this ruse
made them pack away all the remaining
| weapons in the arms room and carry them
to the run, ready to be taken with the other
| chests
Once fairly round the Forelands, half my
anxieties fell from me- There was no longer
the French cruiser or privateer to be feared |;
and however wonderingly the people of my
own country's vessels might stare at the un-
common figure of my schooner, they could
find no excuse to board us. Besides, as I
have said, was greatly helped by the
weather, which, continuing hazy, though
happily never so thick as to oblige me to
stop, delivered me to the sight only of such
vessels as passed close, and offered me only
as mere smudge to the shore.
| We arrived off Barking Level at Z o'clock
on the Thursday evening, and dropped an
Choir close to lighter that lay there with a
large boat hanging by her. 1t was then very
dark. The first person to come on board was
Mason. He was followed by several men,
one of whom he introduced to me as his head
clerk, who he said would see to the unload
ing of the schooner and to the transshipment
of the goods to the ship in the Pool He in
formed me that there was a covered van
waiting on shore; and telling Wilkinson that
the small arms had been disposed of, and
that Mr.. Mason would hand over the pro-
ceeds on our calling at his Office, went with
party of my relatives men into the run.