"
"Maybe he went aboard in Iceland, Peter--a passenger," suggested
Flett. "Ye canna tell."
"Ay, that'll just be it," mused Peter, "a passenger, no doubt. Ay,
I well believe that will just be what he was."
Lieutenant Fox at this point moved away from the circle to get a
light for his pipe at the stove. He stood behind us listening to a
conversation between Colin Lothian and Jack Paterson; and as Peter
Brown lapsed into silent meditation I diverted my own attention to
what Colin and Jack were saying.
"Ay, Colin, but that's news," said Paterson. "And so Harry Ewan has
fallen into their hands at last, eh!"
"Ay, just that," said Lothian. "I was over at Clestron yestreen,
and they were telling me that just as Harry was slipping round into
the Bay of Houton, thinking, no doubt, that everything was clear
for the landin' o' his cargo, the revenue boat came out from behind
the Holm, like a hawk on a ferret. Ye may be sure, Jack, that Harry
and his crew didna give in without a fight for it; but the navy
lads had the upper hand at last, and, what was more to their
purpose, they found in Ewan's lugger five gallant casks o' whisky,
not to speak o' half a dozen rolls o' tobacco, and I dinna ken how
muckle salt and candles."
Lothian had raised his voice, and several of the men had moved
closer to him to hear the particulars of this raid upon one of the
known smugglers of Scapa Flow.
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