Well, he came home to my cottage, and as we sat together I said, by way of a sounder, 'Where's Captain Laud?' "'What makes you ask that question?' says he, hastily and fiercely. 'Have you any particular reason for asking me after him? Speak out at once,' says he,--'speak out; have you heard anything about him?' "The terrific glare of the fiend's eye fell upon me so cruelly that I dared not tell him I had witnessed the fight, so I said, 'I have not seen the captain for so long a time, that I did not know where he was.' "'Ho! ho! that's it, is it?' says he. 'Have you seen him since the morning you fed your sheep on Sudbourn Heath?' "'No,' says I; 'he was then anxious to see you. Did you find him?' "'Yes, I did; and I have reason to think he was lost at sea that very night; for he agreed to come on board, and we have seen nothing more of him, nor two of our crew, since that very time. Two of my men were in the river boat, but I have seen nothing of them since. They were to have joined the crew off the head of the North Vere, but we never saw them again.' "'That's very odd,' says I; 'but how did you join the crew?' "'I got a cast down the river in Master Mannell's boat, the old fisherman of Boyton.' "Then, after a pause, "'Here, Jim,' says he, 'I'll make you a present of poor Will's watch. I do not like to wear it; it grieves me when I look at it. We used to be such friends.' "Now I thought this very strange, and it confirmed me in the opinion that his conscience would not let him rest. I took the watch, and you have now got it in your hand." "What shall I give you for this watch?" said Edward. "What you like; for ever since I have had it, it has appeared to me as if I was an accomplice in Captain Laud's murder." "I will give you half a guinea." "Well, it is yours." "I will put the money into the box in the cupboard. Time now wears away. What are all these pieces of wood for?" "They are tholes for the boat, when the smugglers use it." "With your permission I will take them with me. Have you any oars for them also?" "No! the smugglers bring their own oars." "Well, I must be moving; and now since you have told me the truth, and I have every reason to thank you, I will candidly tell you who I am: I am Margaret Catchpole's brother." "You are a shepherd, then?" "I am a shepherd." "I was sure of it by the manner in which you used these thongs. May I ask, is your sister dead?" "She is not dead. How many men do you expect from the lugger when they land?" "Ten, with the captain." "Well, lie you still now. I must, for the sake of fulfilling the orders of my commander, fasten your cords to the bedstead, or I may be blamed. So: that will do. Now, should the captain himself come to see you, he will be convinced that the foul play was not your part; and if he does not come to-night, I will. But time presses, and I must do my duty. Where is your lamp?"