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'You will not go to the bottom； Lizzy？' said Stockdale anxiously。
'No。 I stay here to watch；' she said。 'Owlett is down there。'
The men remained quite silent when they reached the shore； and the
next thing audible to the two at the top was the dip of heavy oars；
and the dashing of waves against a boat's bow。 In a moment the keel
gently touched the shingle； and Stockdale heard the footsteps of the
thirty…six carriers running forwards over the pebbles towards the
point of landing。
There was a sousing in the water as of a brood of ducks plunging in；
showing that the men had not been particular about keeping their
legs； or even their waists； dry from the brine： but it was
impossible to see what they were doing； and in a few minutes the
shingle was trampled again。 The iron bar sustaining the rope； on
which Stockdale's hand rested； began to swerve a little； and the
carriers one by one appeared climbing up the sloping cliff； dripping
audibly as they came； and sustaining themselves by the guide…rope。
Each man on reaching the top was seen to be carrying a pair of tubs；
one on his back and one on his chest； the two being slung together
by cords passing round the chine hoops； and resting on the carrier's
shoulders。 Some of the stronger men carried three by putting an
extra one on the top behind； but the customary load was a pair；
these being quite weighty enough to give their bearer the sensation
of having chest and backbone in contact after a walk of four or five
miles。
'Where is Owlett？' said Lizzy to one of them。
'He will not come up this way；' said the carrier。 'He's to bide on
shore till we be safe off。' Then； without waiting for the rest； the
foremost men plunged across the down； and； when the last had
ascended； Lizzy pulled up the rope； wound it round her arm； wriggled
the bar from the sod； and turned to follow the carriers。
'You are very anxious about Owlett's safety；' said the minister。
'Was there ever such a man！' said Lizzy。 'Why； isn't he my cousin？'
'Yes。 Well； it is a bad night's work；' said Stockdale heavily。
'But I'll carry the bar and rope for you。'
'Thank God； the tubs have got so far all right；' said she。
Stockdale shook his head； and； taking the bar； walked by her side
towards the downs； and the moan of the sea was heard no more。
'Is this what you meant the other day when you spoke of having
business with Owlett？' the young man asked。
'This is it；' she replied。 'I never see him on any other matter。'
'A partnership of that kind with a young man is very odd。'
'It was begun by my father and his； who were brother…laws。'
Her companion could not blind himself to the fact that where tastes
and pursuits were so akin as Lizzy's and Owlett's； and where risks
were shared； as with them； in every undertaking； there would be a
peculiar appropriateness in her answering Owlett's standing question
on matrimony in the affirmative。 This did not soothe Stockdale； its
tendency being rather to stimulate in him an effort to make the pair
as inappropriate as possible； and win her away from this nocturnal
crew to correctness of conduct and a minister's parlour in some far…
removed inland county。
They had been walking near enough to the file of carriers for
Stockdale to perceive that； when they got into the road to the
village； they split up into two companies of unequal size； each of
which made off in a direction of its own。 One company； the smaller
of the two； went towards the church； and by the time that Lizzy and
Stockdale reached their own house these men had scaled the
churchyard wall； and were proceeding noiselessly over the grass
within。
'I see that Owlett has arranged for one batch to be put in the
church again；' observed Lizzy。 'Do you remember my taking you there
the first night you came？'
'Yes； of course；' said Stockdale。 'No wonder you had permission to
broach the tubsthey were his； I suppose？'
'No； they were notthey were mine； I had permission from myself。
The day after that they went several miles inland in a waggon…load
of manure； and sold very well。'
At this moment the group of men who had made off to the left some
time before began leaping one by one from the hedge opposite Lizzy's
house； and the first man； who had no tubs upon his shoulders； came
forward。
'Mrs。 Newberry； isn't it？' he said hastily。
'Yes； Jim；' said she。 'What's the matter？'
'I find that we can't put any in Badger's Clump to…night； Lizzy；'
said Owlett。 'The place is watched。 We must sling the apple…tree
in the orchet if there's time。 We can't put any more under the
church lumber than I have sent on there； and my mixen hev already
more in en than is safe。'
'Very well；' she said。 'Be quick about itthat's all。 What can I
do？'
'Nothing at all； please。 Ah； it is the minister！you two that
can't do anything had better get indoors and not be zeed。'
While Owlett thus conversed； in a tone so full of contraband anxiety
and so free from lover's jealousy； the men who followed him had been
descending one by one from the hedge； and it unfortunately happened
that when the hindmost took his leap； the cord slipped which
sustained his tubs： the result was that both the kegs fell into the
road； one of them being stove in by the blow。
''Od drown it all！' said Owlett； rushing back。
'It is worth a good deal； I suppose？' said Stockdale。
'O noabout two guineas and half to us now；' said Lizzy excitedly。
'It isn't thatit is the smell！ It is so blazing strong before it
has been lowered by water； that it smells dreadfully when spilt in
the road like that！ I do hope Latimer won't pass by till it is gone
off。'
Owlett and one or two others picked up the burst tub and began to
scrape and trample over the spot； to disperse the liquor as much as
possible； and then they all entered the gate of Owlett's orchard；
which adjoined Lizzy's garden on the right。 Stockdale did not care
to follow them； for several on recognizing him had looked
wonderingly at his presence； though they said nothing。 Lizzy left
his side and went to the bottom of the garden； looking over the
hedge into the orchard； where the men could be dimly seen bustling
about； and apparently hiding the tubs。 All was done noiselessly；
and without a light； and when it was over they dispersed in
different directions； those who had taken their cargoes to the
church having already gone off to their homes。
Lizzy returned to the garden…gate； over which Stockdale was still
abstractedly leaning。 'It is all finished： I am going indoors
now；' she said gently。 'I will leave the door ajar for you。'
'O noyou needn't；' said Stockdale； 'I am coming too。'
But before either of them had moved； the faint clatter of horses'
hoofs broke upon the ear； and it seemed to come from the point where
the track across the down joined the hard road。
'They are just too late！' cried Lizzy exultingly。
'Who？' said Stockdale。
'Latimer； the riding…officer； and some assistant of his。 We had
better go indoors。'
They entered the house； and Lizzy bolted the door。 'Please don't
get a light； Mr。 Stockdale；' she said。
'Of course I will not；' said he。
'I th