But I ken o' a
fine hole in the face o' the clifts o' Gaulton, that would suit a
smuggler grandly for stowing away a few casks o' whisky in. Sandy
Ericson was another that ken'd it. But Sandy was an honest man."
"What!" said Paterson; "d'ye mean the cave that Sandy found Carver
Kinlay in, after the wreck o' the Undine?"
"Ay," said Colin.
"Then Kinlay kens o' the cave?" continued Jack.
"Doubtless," said Colin.
David Flett raised his eyebrows at this, and I thought of his
conversation with the pilot.
"It's no' possible that Carver has ony hand in the smuggling, is
it, Colin?" he observed.
"Weel, captain, I wonldna like to assert publicly that Carver is a
smuggler himself," said Colin; "but I shouldna be surprised though
it turn out as I suspect."
"It's a lie ye tell!" furiously exclaimed Tom Kinlay, suddenly
revealing himself, and shaking his fist in Lothian's face. "It's a
lie ye tell, ye drivelling auld idiot! And if ye canna prove what
ye say, maybe ye'll deny it?"
Colin Lothian stood up and said coolly:
"Now just hold yer tongue, Kinlay. I ken mair then I hae said. And
as to denyin' it, that I willna do. Nay, threaten as ye will, I
carena. What I say is perfectly true. Carver Kinlay's a smuggler!"
Tom Kinlay bit the stem of his clay pipe so hard that it broke in
his mouth, so great was his rage.
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