it was easy to slip in and out secretly,
and without the knowledge of the exciseman.

"The smugglers are getting bolder and bolder, confound 'em," Mr. Mildmay
went on.  "With the land force so weak, what's the result?  If I'm
called to a spot, ten to one by a trick, I must leave the rest of the
coast unguarded.  As you know, the only man permanently in this
neighbourhood is old Penwarden, who is zealous enough, but not so active
as a younger man would be."

"No, poor man," said Mrs. Trevanion.  "He has often said to me that he
fears the Government will replace him.  He will cling to his duty as
long as he can for the sake of his old sister.  You know he supports
her, in Truro, Mr. Mildmay."

"Ithe Parsonage, he was struck
with an idea of a contrivance for serving his purpose.  He consulted old
Reuben about it when he got home, and Sam, on returning from an errand
in the village, found his father and Dick hard at work in an outhouse,
splicing short lengths of rope, and fixing them at regular intervals
between two thin but strong poles about six feet long.

"What be doin', Feyther?" asked Sam.

"Use yer eyes, sonny, and put a name to 't yerself," replied Reuben.

"Well, if I was to speak my thought, I'd say 'ee was makin' a ladder
that 'ud let a man down as soon as he put a foot on it."

"Then 'tis for you to make it stronger, my son, babe and sucklin' as 'ee
be.  T'ud be a sin to