Jack Hardy: A Story of English Smugglers in the Days of Napoleon

by Herbert Strang

  *CHAPTER XVII*

  *DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND*

  Unconscious of the bo'sun's melancholy reflections, Jack was hurryingtoward the village. There he again hired the gig, and drove once moreover the same road, leaving Middleton so as to reach the neighborhood ofLuscombe about dusk. With him he took the iron steps.

  He made his way with great caution to Gumley's cottage. This time hedid not hail the old sailor from the roadway, but got over the fence andtapped at the window. When he was admitted, he announced withoutpreliminary the object of his visit.

  "I want you to come and lend a hand, Gumley."

  "Might I axe how and wherefore, sir?"

  "I'll tell you that as we go along."

  "'Tis not to go back on old messmates, sir?"

  "Your old messmates have gone back on you. But 'tis not that, and,anyway, I call upon you, Joe Gumley, in the king's name--"

  "Oh, if you put it like that, sir, I don't axe no questions. The king'sname is enough for me."

  "I know it. Come along, and bring Comely with you."

  The three set out, Gumley curiously eying Jack's bundle.

  "We're bound for Congleton's Hollow, Gumley."

  "Ay, ay, sir."

  "Any news since I saw you last?"

  "Nary much, sir. Young Bill Gudgeon haven't bin seen since. And thepreventives have bin paying surprise visits down in the village."

  "That's well. The smugglers won't have dared to remove their cargo."

  "Ah! I knowed as how they'd made another run."

  "How did you know that? You keep yourself to yourself, you know."

  "True, sir. But old Gudgeon's chimbleys do be uncommon foul, to besure."

  "What's that to do with it?"

  "Why, sir, I were thinking that's the only thing I've seed to-day. Buthe'll soon be leaving off fires. Be you gwine to the Hollow by thelane, sir?"

  "Yes. 'Tis a little longer way round, but I don't want to meetanybody."

  "True, sir. Comely will give us good notice if any one is about."

  They came at length to the Hollow. Jack led the way through the treesto within a hundred yards of the tower, and searched the neighborhoodthoroughly to make sure that no one was on the watch.

  "Now, Gumley, I'm going up to the room at the top. Not through thedoor, but up the outside with the help of these steps." He opened hisbundle. "See, they fit into holes in the wall. Are you sailor enoughstill to come up after me and bring down the steps when I've got to thetop?"

  "Try me, sir. True, I've only one leg, but that's sound; and myarms--look at 'em, sir."

  "That's all right. When you've got the steps, hide in the bushes withComely until you hear me whistle. Then you'll come and take charge of aman I think you'll find here."

  "Ay, ay, sir."

  Jack mounted, Gumley after him. The latter removed the steps anddisappeared into the thicket, while Jack closed the trap-door, and saton the rickety chair, waiting.

  Hours passed. It was very cold. Jack knew that De Fronsac would notleave the Grange until the family were asleep; he could only wait,wrapped up in his cloak, walking about quietly at intervals to keephimself awake.

  At last he heard a slight click outside. Instantly he concealed himselfin the hole behind the bedstead, leading to the staircase. To insurethe full success of his plan it was necessary that the signaler shouldmake his preparations undisturbed.

  He heard some one enter the room by the trap-door, and immediatelyafterward saw a gleam of light. Peeping out, he recognized with athrill that the intruder was De Fronsac, as he had expected, and that hewas alone. He had lit the lamp, the glass of which was turned away fromthe window; the long roll of cardboard and a pistol lay beside it. Thenhe went to the window and looked out to sea. He was evidently waitingfor a signal from the lugger.

  "_Peste!_" he muttered, slapping his shoulders. "_Comme il fait froid!Il est en retard. Quand viendra-t-il?_"

  Pistol in hand, Jack stepped quietly out of his hiding-place. DeFronsac started, swung round, and stared with amazement, for there, inthe light of the lamp, stood the boy he had kidnapped, and a pistol waspointed full at his head.

  "Yes, Monsieur de Fronsac, it is I. Stay where you are; if you make amovement I shall fire."

  "If you make a movement, I shall fire"]

  The statement was so cool and matter-of-fact that it appeared to carryconviction, for De Fronsac arrested his first instinctive movementtoward his own pistol. Still covering him with his weapon, Jackadvanced to the table, turned the lamp so that the light fell on theFrenchman, and lifted the pistol. De Fronsac said not a word. Therewas no smile upon his face now, but his eyes gleamed, and Jack knew thathe was watching for the slightest opening. De Fronsac felt the rope fora spy tightening relentlessly round his neck.

  He glanced toward the lamp, within a few feet of him.

  "No, Monsieur De Fronsac," said Jack, guessing his wish to knock itover: "it really is not possible. You would not live to reach thetable. You will now go through the trap-door and descend the steps, asquickly and quietly as you can."

  The man hesitated; Jack saw his fingers work nervously.

  "I shall count three, Monsieur. At the word _three_ I fire. One--"

  De Fronsac moved sidewise toward the trap-door. At the opening he againpaused, and appeared to be about to speak. But Jack gave him noopportunity.

  "Again, Monsieur: one--two--"

  De Fronsac pulled up the trap, and slowly lowered himself on to thetopmost step.

  "Remember, Monsieur," said Jack, before his head disappeared, "if youmake the least unnecessary sound I shall send a bullet after you."

  The gleaming eyes disappeared. Step by step the Frenchman descended.When he was a third of the way down Jack whistled gently. By the timeDe Fronsac reached the ground Gumley and Comely were one on each side ofhim.

  "Evening, sir," said Gumley. "Orders are that you come along wi'me--and the dog. Watch him, Comely."

  A deep growl caused De Fronsac to start.

  "Harmless as a lamb, sir, while you goes steady. Bean't 'ee, Comely?"

  The answer was another growl. They moved away, the dog keeping a fewinches behind De Fronsac's heels, Gumley with a naked cutlass walking athis right hand.

  Even before they were out of sight Jack had returned to the table.There he had noticed a sheet of paper. It was covered with figures--nodoubt the message that De Fronsac was preparing to send.

  "Wonder if there's time to make it out!" thought Jack. He looked out tosea; there was no signal light. With the aid of his key he scribbledbelow the figures the corresponding letters, and read:

  NELSON A SUIVRE VILLENEUVE 9 NAVIRE 2 FREGATE SORTENT DE P MERCREDIBINSEY COVE LUNDI.

  "A clever villain!" thought Jack. "Who would ever have imagined that aFrench spy would be mixed up with English smugglers! And I wonder how hegets his information about Nelson's doings, and the sailings of Englishconvoys? Well, his friends will have rather a different messageto-night."

  He took from his pocket a piece of paper, and made some alterations inthe figures he had written in the cabin of the _Fury_.

  "If they like news of Nelson, they shall have some, invented on thespot!"

  Every now and then while writing he glanced out to sea to make sure thathe did not miss the expected signal. It was nearly an hour after he hadcompleted his message that he caught the three successive flashes. Thenhe fixed the cardboard, pointed it through the round hole in thecurtain, and signaled:

  NELSON MOURANT A PALERMO NAVIRE BRISE PLAGE FOWEY CONVOI PETITE CHALOUPEBINSEY COVE LUNDI.

  The message completed, he extinguished the light and descended, removingthe steps as he went. The other set had apparently been taken byGumley. Wrapping up the original dozen he started for his long walkback.

  He had not gone many paces when he heard hurried footsteps behind.Turning round with a start, his hand on his pistol, he was amazed toh
ear his name called.

  "Jack!"

  The next instant a slight figure sprang toward him.

  "Oh, Jack! I'm jolly glad, I am! I thought it was you, but couldn't besure till you came down. Oh, I _am_ glad!"

  "Well, don't make a to-do, youngster. And what brings you out at thistime of night?"

  "Why, didn't you tell me months ago to keep an eye on Fronsac? Well,I've done it. I've followed him several nights--not often, 'cos mostlyI'm sleepy; but I've never caught him. He always disappeared, and Inever knew where he went till to-night. And I shouldn't have known nowif I hadn't seen him climb down the Folly and go off with old Gumley.Oh, it was fine! My eye! wasn't he scared at the dog! But what's it allmean, Jack? I say, you'll come along home, won't you? They'll all beso jolly glad to see you."

  "Not to-night, Arthur. I hope I shall come to see you all in a day ortwo. But not a soul in the village must know yet that I'm back, and themaids couldn't keep it in. Tell your father I'm here; and tell him thatDe Fronsac is a dangerous spy. We've got him safe now, but they mustn'tsuspect in the village. If any questions are asked you can say that hehas gone away for a few days, and will be back on Monday night."

  "Oh, I say, will they hang him?"

  "Of course. Now cut and run; you'll catch your death of cold, and thesquire will want to hang me."

  "Not he. He likes you. So does--"

  "Cut!" said Jack, putting an end to Arthur's confidences. The boydisappeared; Jack resumed his walk, and arrived dead tired at the inn atMiddleton.