"Besides," went on Cap'n Jack, "you needn't 'ave nothin' to do with this part of the country. I do a biggish traade down the coast, Jasper, my deear. Ther's Kynance, now, or a cove over by Logan Rock, and another by Gurnard's Head. Nobody 'ere need to knaw where you be." "Let me have time!" I stammered. "To be sure, Jasper, my deear," wheedled Cap'n Jack; "then it's settled. You shall come to my plaace at Kynance this very night, you shall. The boys 'll soon be 'ere now. A special cargo, Jasper, 'nough to make yer lips water. Things I bot from a Injun marchant, my deear--cheap. And this es a clain off plaace to put et for a vew days." "Are you sure it's safe here, Cap'n Jack?" I said, for already I began to be interested in the smuggler's plans. "Saafe, who do knaw about this plaace?" "Betsey Fraddam and Eli." "Iss, for sure--I knaw they do, else _you_ wudden a knawed. But who besides?" "Do you think Ikey Trethewy hasn't found out, living where he has lived all these years?" "Ikey! Iss, Ikey do knaw. Aw, aw!" I saw his meaning, and suspected then what I afterward found to be true. Cap'n Jack's business was very extensive, and he employed people up and down the coast on both sides of the county. Moreover, several pedlars who carried jewelry, laces, and fine silks, obtained their supplies from Cap'n Jack. "The Preventive men are busy watching you," I said. "The Preventive men, aw, my deear. Iss, they be watchin', but how do you knaw?" I told him what I had heard between them and Richard Tresidder. "Iss, iss," said Cap'n Jack, with a grunt of satisfaction; "tha's all right, and they'll never vind out, no, they'll never vind out, and now you've zaid oal, my booy?" "No, I haven't; there's another who knows." "Who?" He looked at me in such a way, that before I had time to think his white eyes seemed to drag the words from me. "Miss Naomi Penryn," I said. Never did I see such a change in any one. He no longer had the appearance of a mild and inoffensive man. The look of harmless indecision was gone, and all his pious sentiments were flung to the wind. He burst out with a string of oaths such as I had never heard before, and which made my flesh creep. "Tell me all you know of this, Jasper Pennington," he said, presently, "everything." I could not disobey him at that time, and I told him what I have written here, save but for the story of my love--that I kept in my own heart. "She came in here to keep you from bein' found, did she?" "Yes." Then he became a little mild-mannered man again. He had grasped the situation in a minute, and he had seen more than had come into my mind. He commenced smoking again and continued for a few minutes, then he started up suddenly. "Sam, Bill, sonnies, come in there." Instantly the two men entered. "They're comin', be'ant 'em?" "Iss, Cap'n." A few seconds later I heard the sound of voices, and presently I knew that several men were entering the cave. "All safe, sonnies?" asked Cap'n Jack.