the bane to keep him, and so-and so--"Esther," he had said to her wi' his last breath, “I could wark nane for mysel', and I was just hinderin' you."'

6

'A pitiful story, indeed!'

Ay, but that's no the warst. When they were turned awa' by the auld laird, young Hacket kent brawly hoo it was with the bonnie bit lass that had been the sunshine o' her father's hoose. She was little better than a bairn; and he lat her leave wi'oot a word. He never lookit near them again. And ye ken what Lizzie is noo! "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I will repay;" but, Doctor, if Rob had lived, the loan would hae been repaid lang syne-wi' usury.'

'All in good time, my friend. The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceeding sure. "Dii laneos habent pedes." And troth here comes Corbie himsel', on auld Jess, hittin' her feet at ilka step; a wisp o' tow round her hind legs, my man, and ye wudna mak sic a noise in the world. Truly, the body's lookin' gash. What ails you, Corbie? Have you no a word for a freen? Though your glorification o' the Ceevil Law was maist unceevil, and ye micht hae letten the Captain draw his lang bow at pleasure-it hurts naebody-I bear no malice.'

But Corbie, looking like a man who has got a mortal scare, and turning neither to the right hand nor to the left, went straight on to 'the Royal,' where he stabled his steed. Then the news got abroad. The laird of Yokieshill was dead, and Corbie (a ghastly comforter) had been with him till he died. But the dying man had been unable to sign the will which the lawyer had prepared. It was of no consequence, however, Corbie explained, with a curiously absent and preoccupied air, as he quitted the grey-gabled house among the moors— of no consequence; the deed had only declared Harry to be-what in point of law he was without any deed whatever-owner of Yokieshill, sole heir to his father's goods and gear, heritable and movable.

The minister and Uncle Ned looked at each other. There's something in the wind yonder,' said the former. Faugh!' he added, as a whiff of stale fish and blubber was wafted across the bay, 'I am of Sir Toby's opinion, "A plague o' these pickle herrings!""

(To be continued.)

CORRIGENDUM.

At line 38 of p. 36 of the January number, omit oils, seeds, hides.'

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Communications to the Editor should be addressed to him at 39 Paternoster Row, E.O.

As the Magazine has an ample staff of Contributors, MSS. are not invited without previous correspondence, and uninvited MSS. cannot be returned ez

FRASER'S MAGAZINE.

MARCHI 1880.

I

MARY ANERLEY: A YORKSHIRE TALE.

CHAPTER XXXI.

TACTICS OF ATTACK.

AM sorry to be troublesome, Mynheer Van Dunck; but I cannot say good-bye without having your receipt in full for the old bilander.'

'Goot, it is vere goot, Meester Lyth; you are te goot man for te pisness.'

With these words the wealthy merchant of the Zuyder Zee drew forth his ancient inkhorn, smeared with the dirt of countless contracts, and signed an acquittance which the smuggler had prepared. But he signed it with a sigh, as a man declares that a favourite horse must go at last; sighing, not for the money, but the memories that go with it. Then as the wind began to pipe and the roll of the sea grew heavier, the solid Dutchman was lowered carefully into his shore-boat, and drew the apron over his great and gouty legs.

'I vos married in dat zhips,' he shouted back, with his ponderous fist wagging up at Robin Lyth. Dis taime you will have de bad luck, sir.'

'Well, Mynheer, you have only to pay the difference, and the ketch will do; the bilander sails almost as fast.

But Master Van Dunck only heaved another sigh, and felt that his leather bag was safe and full in his breeches pocket. Then he turned his eyes away, and relieved his mind by swearing at his men.

Now this was off the Isle of Texel, and the time was Sunday morning, the very same morning which saw the general factor sitting to be preached at. The flotilla of free trade was putting forth upon its great emprise, and Van Dunck (who had been ship's husband) came to speed them from their moorings.

He took no risk, and to him it mattered little, except as a question of commission; but still he enjoyed the relish of breaking English law most heartily. He hated England, as a loyal Dutchman, for generations,

was compelled to do; and he held that a Dutchman was a better sailor, a better shipbuilder, and a better fighter than the very best Englishman ever born. However, his opinions matter little, being (as we must feel) absurd. Therefore let him go his way, and grumble, and reckon his guilders. It was generally known that he could sink a ship with money; and when such a man is insolent, who dares to contradict him?

The flotilla in the offing soon ploughed hissing furrows through the misty waves. There were three craft all of different rig: a schooner, a ketch, and the said bilander. All were laden as heavily as speed and safety would allow, and all were thoroughly well-manned. They laid their course for the Dogger Bank, where they would receive the latest news of the disposition of the enemy. Robin Lyth, high admiral of smugglers, kept to his favourite schooner, the Glimpse,' which had often shown a fading wake to fastest cutters. His squadron was made up by the ketch, 'Good Hope' and the old Dutch coaster, Crown of Gold.' This vessel, though built for peaceful navigation and inland waters, had proved herself so thoroughly at home in the roughest situations, and so swift of foot, though round of cheek, that the smugglers gloried in her and the good luck which sat upon her prow. They called her the lugger,' though her rig was widely different from that, and her due title was 'bilander.' She was very deeply laden now, and, having great capacity, appeared an unusually tempting prize.

6

This grand armada of invasion made its way quite leisurely. Off the Dogger Bank they waited for the last news, and received it, and the whole of it was to their liking; though the fisherman who brought it strongly advised them to put back again. But Captain Lyth had no such thought, for the weather was most suitable for the bold scheme he had hit upon. 'This is my last run,' he said, and I mean to make it a good one.' Then he dressed himself as smartly as if he were going to meet Mary Anerley, and sent a boat for the skippers of theGood Hope,' and the 'Crown of Gold,' who came very promptly and held counsel in his cabin.

"I'm thinking that your notion is a very good one, captain,' said the master of the bilander, Brown, a dry old hand from Grimsby. Capital, capital; there never was a better,' the master of the ketch chimed in. Nettlebones and Carroway-they will knock their heads together!'

'The plan is clever enough,' replied Robin, who was free from all mock-modesty. 'But you heard what that old Van Dunck said. I

wish he had not said it.'

6

Ten tousan' tyfels-as the stingy old thief himself says-he might have held his infernal croak. I hate to make sail with a croak astern, 'tis as bad as a crow on forestay sail.'

All very fine for you to talk,' grumbled the man of the bilander to the master of the ketch; but the bad luck is saddled upon me

'Brown, none of that!' Captain Lyth said quietly, but with a look which the other understood; 'you are not such a fool as you pretend to be. You may get a shot or two fired at you; but what is that to a Grimsby man? And who will look at you when your hold is broached? Your game is the easiest that any man can play-to hold your tongue and run away.'

'Brown, you share the profits, don't you see?' the ketchman went on, while the other looked glum; and what risk do you take for it? Even if they collar you, through your own clumsiness, what is there for them to do? A Grimsby man is a grumbling man, I have heard ever since I was that high. I'll change berths with you, if you choose, this minute."

I

'You could never do it,' said the Grimsby man, with that high contempt which abounds where he was born; 'a boy like you. should like to see you try it.'

'Remember, both of you,' said Robin Lyth, that you are not here to do as you please, but to obey my orders. If the coastguard quarrel, we do not; and that is why we beat them. You will both do exactly as I have laid it down; and the risk of failure falls on me. The plan is very simple, and cannot fail, if you will just try not to think for yourselves, which always makes everything go wrong. The only thing you have to think about at all, is any sudden change of weather. If a gale from the east sets in, you both run north, and I come after you. But there will not be any easterly gale for the present week, to my belief; although I am not quite sure of it.'

'Not a sign of it. Wind will hold with sunset, up to next quarter of the moon.'

'The time I ha' been on the coast,' said Brown, and to hear the young chaps talking over my head! Never you mind how I know, but I'll lay a guinea with both of you-easterly gale afore Friday.'

'Brown, you may be right,' said Robin; I have had some fear of it, and I know that you carry a weather eye. No man under forty can pretend to that. But if it will only hold off till Friday, we shall have the laugh of it. And even if it come on, Tom and I shall manage. But you will be badly off in that case, Brown. After all, you are right; the main danger is for you.'

Lyth, knowing well how important it was that each man should play his part with true good will, shifted his ground thus to satisfy the other, who was not the man to shrink from peril, but liked to have his share acknowledged.

'Ay, ay, captain, you see clear enough, though Tom here has not got the gumption,' the man of Grimsby answered with a lofty smile. Everybody knows pretty well what William Brown is. When there is anything that needs a bit of pluck, it is sure to be put upon old Bill Brown. And never you come across the man, Captain Lyth, as could say that Bill Brown was not all there. Now orders is orders, lad. Tip us your latest.'

Then latest orders are to this effect. Towards dusk of night you

was compelled to do; and he held that a Dutchman was a better sailor, a better shipbuilder, and a better fighter than the very best Englishman ever born. However, his opinions matter little, being (as we must feel) absurd. Therefore let him go his way, and grumble, and reckon his guilders. It was generally known that he could sink a ship with money; and when such a man is insolent, who dares to contradict him?

The flotilla in the offing soon ploughed hissing furrows through the misty waves. There were three craft all of different rig: a schooner, a ketch, and the said bilander. All were laden as heavily as speed and safety would allow, and all were thoroughly well-manned. They laid their course for the Dogger Bank, where they would receive the latest news of the disposition of the enemy. Robin Lyth, high admiral of smugglers, kept to his favourite schooner, the Glimpse," which had often shown a fading wake to fastest cutters. His squadron was made up by the ketch, Good Hope' and the old Dutch coaster, 'Crown of Gold.' This vessel, though built for peaceful navigation and inland waters, had proved herself so thoroughly at home in the roughest situations, and so swift of foot, though round of cheek, that the smugglers gloried in her and the good luck which sat upon her prow. They called her 'the lugger,' though her rig was widely different from that, and her due title was bilander.' She was very deeply laden now, and, having great capacity, appeared an unusually tempting prize.

This grand armada of invasion made its way quite leisurely. Off the Dogger Bank they waited for the last news, and received it, and the whole of it was to their liking; though the fisherman who brought it strongly advised them to put back again. But Captain Lyth had no such thought, for the weather was most suitable for the bold scheme he had hit upon. "This is my last run,' he said, and I mean to make it a good one.' Then he dressed himself as smartly as if he were going to meet Mary Anerley, and sent a boat for the skippers of the Good Hope,' and the Crown of Gold,' who came very promptly

and held counsel in his cabin.

6

'I'm thinking that your notion is a very good one, captain,' said the master of the bilander, Brown, a dry old hand from Grimsby. Capital, capital; there never was a better,' the master of the ketch chimed in. Nettlebones and Carroway-they will knock their heads together!'

The plan is clever enough,' replied Robin, who was free from all mock-modesty. But you heard what that old Van Dunck said. I wish he had not said it.'

Ten tousan' tyfels-as the stingy old thief himself says-he might have held his infernal croak. I hate to make sail with a croak astern, 'tis as bad as a crow on forestay sail.'

'All very fine for you to talk,' grumbled the man of the bilander to the master of the ketch; but the bad luck is saddled upon me