The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-12-04

but at that time political induenc
was necessary, and Mrs. Dugro fearet
that the appointment could not b
brought about.
On the night Of the meeting Will
McGregor, Phil slept uneasily, bein!
troubled with many dreams-fght
with smugglers on the river, will
Indians on the plains.
The next day he was restless. II
the afternoon he saw George Hardie
| who assured him that it was best K
forget all about the night before
After supper he and his motherwert
on the piazza.
did my father ever have anything
to do with smugglers2" suddenly
asked Phil. He was thinking it wa:
almost time for McGregor to bestart
ing out across the river.
Mrs. Dugro thought not.
would he have considered it a:
necessary to fight smugglers as hos
tile Indians Or invading soldiers2" he
went on.
perhaps not. Still one ought al
ways to try to prevent lawbreaking,
The government looks out for us il
many ways, and we should defend its
rights whenever we have the oppor
tunity. Your father believed in
this principle very strongly. Ihope,
Phil, you will never forget it. In
this country the governments inter.
ests are our interests, and we should
always be careful to protect them
in small matters as well as in great.
a few minutes later Phil was hur-
rying down to the rivers bank. He
took a boat and rowed out to the
middle of the stream, opposite the
place where he and George had en-.
countered the smugglers. HeAoated
there, holding the boat up against
the current. It had grown so dark
that he could scarcely make out the
line Of the low shore. he sat there
vaguely waiting. His ismcther's words
made him ashamed of having given
that promise to McGregor A prom
ise was not to be broken-still, one
course was open. Ee would do his
best, silent, single handed. In bis
determination he felt ready for dan
ger. No promise, though sealing his
lips, could free him from duty toward
the law and the government.
McGregor had called the custom
house officers a careless lot of fellows,
but he was mistaken. The officers
suspected that there was opium on
The Canadian side waiting to BE-
nnuggled across. and this night they
were on the watch, and three boats,
each holding two men armed with
rifles, were patroling the river.
A heavy mist now hung over the
water, and it was very dark. Sud-
denly a boat loomed up. moving with
muhed oars.
who's there!" cried Phil.
The boat stopped and avoice, which
Phil recognized, replied: 1.-TWO gen
tlemen out rowing. It's go dark we
got turned round. We're trying to
find the Canada shore"
'sYoud better go back there" said
Phil II know you, MaGregor, and
I mean to stop your smuggling!"
A lantern was flashed in his face.
cts young Mr.. Dugro, is ita Well,
my fine fellow, if you don't row right
home and keep your lips tight shut
you'll know me- still better-better
than you want to. Do you heara
I'll have no nonsensep
I'm not afraid Of you" said Phil
Better catch i'm an gag i'm an
throw i'm overheard, " muttered Nc
Gregor's companion. eve can't have
i'm maxim a noise now or tellin On
Us afterward."
CAL right. Get hold of him." said
McGregor in the same low tone.
"Then let me try soaring him. You
know, Sandy, don't like killing peo-
pie when it's not necessary"
Though Phil had not heard this,
he saw the boat start toward him.
Knowing that he would be at their
mercy in a fight at close quarters,
and that his only hope of preventing
the smuggling was by delaying it,
Phil pulled toward the shore shout
ing for help.
The unequal race was soon ended, !,
the pursuers crashed alongside and
Sandy grasped Phil by the arm. The
boy twisted himself free, and brand.
ishing an oar, sprang up in the boat.
He continued to shout at the top OF
his voice.
"Quickr" cried McGregor, Jump
into his boat and stop that yellingT'
Sandy sprang to obey. He parried
the blow aimed at him, wrenched
away luS OaI, aAO was Sooo SoA@-AS
Phil when he caught a glimpse Of a
boat swiftly bearing down upon
them. Without an iustant's hesita
ton he turned and slid silently into
the water and disappeared.
Startled at this, McGregor glanced
around, and in fash he, too, saw
the danger, but too late to follow
Sandy's example. A dark Lantern
blinded him, and he was ordered te
hold up his hands.
"McGregor, you're caught at last,
cried one Of the officers from the pa
troll boat. eve suspected you'd be
mixed up In this opium business"
The prisoner made no reply to the
charge and submitted sullenly to the
handouts.
It appeared that Pills shouts fol
help had been heard by the patrol
who had hurried to learn their cause
But for their meeting with Phil, the