"She's asleep, sweet dear! though I'm afraid she's no better. The Lord's will be done, if He thinks fit to take her; and then, Dick, I want you to remember that you will be your father's chief hope and stay in his trouble. Whether or not we shall have to turn out of our home, and seek for another farm, is more than I can say. Your father doesn't wish to displease the marquis, but he thinks that it is his right to remain where he is, and that he would not be acting like an Englishman to give up that right." "Of course he would not," exclaimed Dick. "Ben Rudall says he would not knock under to the marquis or any other lord, and he would hold on fast with tooth and nail." "I don't want to say anything against Ben Rudall, my son; but I wish that you were not such friends with him. He is a smuggler, and may draw you into mischief, though maybe you'll think it ungrateful in me to say so, when he has helped you to catch those fish. Remember that you cannot associate with bad characters without getting some harm and being looked upon as one of them." "Ben is a right honest fellow, and true as steel," answered Dick. "I don't like to hear anything said against him, mother; if he were ever so bad, he would not lead me astray." "He is a smuggler, Dick, and though he may be true to his companions, he is false to his country, or he would not be trying to cheat the revenue, as the smugglers do." "I had not thought of that; but don't you trouble yourself about Ben," answered Dick. "Now, mother, I am pretty hungry, and should like some bread and cheese;" and Dick turned round to go to the larder. "Sit down, my son, and I'll get them for you," said Mrs Hargrave, taking the fish at the same time. "While you are eating, I'll clean these, and they'll be ready in the morning if Janet has a fancy for one of them." She soon returned, not only with some bread and cheese but some cold meat, and a mug of home-brewed beer, showing that the good housewife did not stint her family. Dick described the arrival of the young lord and his shipmate. "I'd as leave he had stopped at sea, for, somehow or other, he and I are always getting foul of each other. But there will be rare doings up at the hall to welcome him home, especially if there's been a battle, as Ben thinks, and his ship gained the day." "Then, Dick, do you keep out of his way, and no harm can come of it," said Mrs Hargrave. "I am glad, however, for her ladyship's sake, and the young ladies, for they will be main pleased to see him. Only this morning they came here to visit Janet, and when I told my lady what Mr Gooch says, she promised to speak to the marquis, and that makes me hope that the matter will be settled better than your father expects." "Not if that young lord finds out about it. He'll try and set his father against us. You should have heard him and his shipmate this afternoon blackguarding Ben and me, because we wouldn't carry their portmanteaus."