 the
riding-officer. As he went he came to a resolution.  The smugglers, it
was clear, were determined on pursuing their policy of persecution.  All
who opposed them, or whom they supposed to be their opponents, would
have to reckon with their remorseless animosity, which might express
itself in open violence or deeds of stealth as necessity demanded.  It
was to be war, and, as events were shaping themselves, war between the
village and the Towers.  Well, the war should be fought out.  The
quarrel had been forced on the Trevanions; they had not willingly
departed from their neutrality; but matters had now gone so far that to
remain neutral was impossible, and Dick resolved to take once for all
the side of the law. He anticipated some difficulty in bringing his
father to adopt the same attitude; but at the present moment the Squire
was so indignant with the smugglers that, even if he was not ready to
throw himself into active opposition to them, he might not forbid Dick
to do so.  Feeling that at such a crisis all quiet work at his books was
impossible, Dick determined to beg Mr. Carlyon to release him, and to
devote himself heart and soul to the contest, whether of wits or
weapons.  The first object must be the rescue of Joe Penwarden.

Mr. Polwhele was still at home.

"This is a new thing, 'pon my life," he said, when Dick had told him his
tidings.  "Till now the villains have been only on the defensive; to
take the offensive means there's a new spirit working in 'em.  D'you
think, now, that your father is right, and John Trevanion is the man
behind?"

"I don't want to say what I think, Mr. Polwhele," replied Dick.
"Whether he is or not, we must put a stop to it.  I can't do much, but
what I can do I will."

"I'm glad to hear it.  The curious thing is that John Trevanion has but
lately been here.  One of the fishers had told him of the strange
vessel, and he came for the same purpose as you,
the 
 riding - officer. As he went he came to a resolution.   The smuggler, it 
 was clean, were determined on pursuing their policy of persecution.   All 
 who oppose them, or whom they think to be their opponents, would 
 have to calculate with their remorseless animosity, which might press out 
 itself in open ferocity or act of stealth as necessity demanded.   It 
 was to be war, and, as consequence were shaping themselves, war between the 
 village and the Towers.   Well, the war should be fight out.   The 
 quarrel had been pull on the Trevanions; they had not willingly 
 departed from their neutrality; but matters had now gone thus far that to 
 remain neutral was impossible, and Dick resolved to claim once for all 
 the side of the law. He anticipated some difficulty in bring his 
 father to adopt the same attitude; but at the present moment the Squire 
 was therefore indignant with the smugglers that, even if he was not ready to 
 throw himself into active opposition to them, he might not forbid Dick 
 to do so.   Feeling that at such a crisis all quiet work at his books was 
 impossible, Dick determined to beg Mr. Carlyon to release him, and to 
 devote himself heart and soul to the contest, whether of wit or 
 weapons.   The first aim must be the rescue of Joe Penwarden. 

 Mr. Polwhele was however at family. 

 " This is a new thing,' pon my biography, " he said, when Dick had told him his 
 tidings.   " Till now the villain have been only on the defensive; to 
 take the offensive means there's a new spirit work in'em.   D'you 
 think, now, that your father is right, and John Trevanion is the valet 
 behind? " 

 " I don't want to order what I think, Mr. Polwhele, " replied Dick. 
 " Whether he is or not, we must put a stop to it.   I can't do much, but 
 what I can do I will. " 

 " I'm beaming to hear it.   The curious thing is that John Trevanion has but 
 lately been here.   One of the fishers had told him of the strange 
 vessel, and he came for the same purpose as you,
 thf
riding-officer. As he wenu he came to a resolutioi.  The amugglerr, it
was clear, were determinev on pursying their policy of pdrsecutioj.  All
whi opkosed them, or whom they sm'poses to ye their opponenjs, would
have to reckon witv ghzir remorseless animosity, which mighe exprexs
ltself in open viokqnce or deeds of stealth as necessity semandev.  It
was to be ear, and, as events were shaoing themselves, war behween the
violagq and the Towdrs.  Well, uhz war shouls be fought out.  The
quarrel had been forced on tye Htevanions; thxy had not willingly
departad from their neutrallty; bnt mqtters had now gone sm far that to
remaig neutral wcs impossible, and Dicj eesoleed do txje unct fpr all
thf smde of the maw. He antixipated some difficilej in bringing his
faehqr to adopt the same attitude; but at tht preaent moment the Squire
wqs so indignant with jhe smugglqrs that, even if he was not ready to
throw himself into xctnyc opoisltion to them, he might not forbid Dick
to do sj.  Gevling that at sucm a crisis all quirt wptk at his bookr was
impoasible, Dick determlned to beg Nr. Carlyog to release him, and to
devote humself heart qnd soul to the coutest, whethex of wots ot
weapons.  The first objzct muat be the rfscue of Nue Penwarden.

Mr. Pulwmela was still at home.

"This is a new thmng, 'ppn my lkfe," ne saiq, when Dicn had told him his
tidingd.  "Tipl now the vlllains have been only on the dxhensive; to
takg tve mffensivz meanx there's a ner spirit workiug in 'em.  D'yoj
think, now, that ymur father ys right, and Blhn Trevanioi is the ian
bwhine?"

"I don't dant to say whst I think, Mr. Polwhwle," replied Dick.
"Whcther ge is or not, we muwt put a stop tp ig.  Y ban'v do igch, but
what H cav du I wiul."

"I'm glad ti heat it.  The curious thhng js that John Trevamijn has bot
lately feen here.  Onr of the fishers hwd tond iim of thg strange
vessel, and he came for the same puvpose as you,
the riding-officer. As he went he came resolution. smugglers, it clear, were determined persecution. who opposed them, whom they supposed be their opponents, would have to with their remorseless animosity, which might express itself in open violence or deeds stealth as necessity demanded. It was to be war, and, as events were themselves, between village the Towers. Well, the war should be fought out. The quarrel had been forced on the they had not willingly departed from their neutrality; matters had now gone far that to remain neutral impossible, Dick resolved take for the side of law. He anticipated some difficulty in bringing his father to adopt the same attitude; but at the moment the so indignant the that, if he was to throw himself into active opposition might not forbid Dick to do so. Feeling at such crisis all quiet work at his was impossible, Dick determined to beg Mr. Carlyon release him, and to devote himself heart and soul to the contest, whether of wits The first object must the rescue of Penwarden. Polwhele still home. "This a new thing, 'pon my life," he said, when Dick had him his tidings. "Till now the villains have been only defensive; take the offensive there's a new spirit in D'you think, now, that is and the behind?" don't want to say I think, Mr. Polwhele," replied "Whether he is or stop to it. I can't do much, but I can do I will." "I'm glad hear it. The curious thing is that John Trevanion has but lately here. One fishers had told him of the strange vessel, he came for the purpose as you,
 the
riding-officer. As he went hE came to a reSolutIon.  the SmUgglErs, iT
was clear, were dETermIned on pursuing their polIcy of PeRSecuTIoN.  All
wHo opposED tHEM, or WhOm TheY sUPpOsed tO be Their opPonents, wouLd
hAvE to reckon witH ThEir remorseLesS animosity, whIch Might eXpResS
ItselF in Open vIolencE Or deedS of stealtH aS NecessITy demanDED.  IT
was To be war, and, as eventS WeRE shaping themseLves, waR bETwEEN thE
viLlage and thE TOwers.  wEll, the wAR sHOULd bE Fought out.  The
qUarrel had beEN foRced on ThE TrEVanionS; they HaD Not Willingly
dePartEd from theIr neutRAlity; buT Matters Had now GonE so Far tHAt To
RemAiN NeuTRaL waS ImpOssible, aNd diCk resOlveD TO TAke oNce For aLl
the Side of the law. HE anTiciPAteD some DiffiCultY iN brinGing hiS
fathEr To adopt the same aTtitUde; but at tHe pReSenT mOment THe SquiRe
wAs sO indignAnt with THe sMuGGLErS that, even if he was noT rEADy To
throw hImself INtO aCTive oppoSiTioN to tHEM, he miGht nOT fOrbid DicK
to do sO.  feElIng that At Such a cRiSis All Quiet WOrk aT his boOks was
imPossiBLe, Dick determinED to beg Mr. CarlyON tO RElEAse hIm, aNd to
devote hImseLF heaRt anD SoUl tO The coNtest, WhEThER of wits or
weapons.  The FiRst objEct muSt be the rescue Of Joe PenwaRDEN.

Mr. PolwhEle wAS sTIll at home.

"This iS a new Thing, 'pon my LIfe," he saiD, when dick had tOld him his
TIDings.  "TilL noW thE viLlaINS hAve been only on THE defEnSive; to
tAke The offeNsiVe mEanS thErE's a new spiRit workiNg In 'Em.  d'yOu
tHink, nOW, that youR fAthEr Is rIght, aND John TRevanIon iS tHe MAn
bEhind?"

"I dON't WANt to SaY wHat I ThiNk, mr. PolWhelE," RepLied DicK.
"Whether hE is OR not, We MuSt put a sTop to it.  I can't dO mUch, but
what i cAn dO I will."

"i'M Glad to heAr it.  The curious thing is thAT John TrEvaNion hAs buT
lately beEn hEre.  One Of tHE fisheRs had tOld hiM oF thE STrangE
VEsSel, AnD he came for THE saMe purPoSe as You,
 the
riding-officer. As he  went he c ame t o a  re so luti on. The smugglers ,  itwas clear, were determ inedon purs u in g the ir poli c yo f  pe rs ec uti on .  All
w hoopposed  them, orwho mthey suppose d  t o be their  op ponents, wou ldhave t orec k on wi ththeir  remor s elessanimosity ,w hich m i ght exp r e ss 
its elf in open viole n ce or deeds of st ealthas ne c e ssi tydemanded. I t
was to be w a r, a n d,a s events were  shaping th e mse lves,wa r b e tweenthe
v il l age  and the To wers .  Well,the wa r  should be foug ht out . The 
qua r re lhad  b e enf or ced onthe Trev an io ns; t heyh a d notwil ling ly
de parted from t hei r ne u tra lity;  butmatt er s had  now g one s ofar that to
rem ainneutral w asim pos si ble,a nd Dic k r eso lved to  take o n cefo r a ll 
the side of the l aw . He  anticip ated s o me  d i fficulty  i n b ring i n g his 
fat h er  to adop t thes am eattitud e;  but a tthe  pr esent mome nt the  Squirewas s o  indignant wit h  the smuggler s  t h a t, even  if  he was not  rea d y to 
thr o whim s elf i nto a ct i ve opposition to them,  h e migh t not  forbid Dickto do so.F e eling th at a t  s u ch a crisis al l qui et work at his book s was 
impossi ble, Dick d etermine d t o b egMr. C ar lyon to relea s e  him ,and todev ote him sel f h ear t a nd  soul tothe cont es t,  w he the r ofw its or
w ea pon s.   T he fi r st obj ect m ustbe  t h e r escue o f  J o e  Pen wa rd en.
Mr .Polwh elew asstill a t home.
"Th i s is  a  n ew thin g, 'pon my li fe ," he said ,whe n Dick h ad toldhim his
tidings.  "Till now the  vi llain s ha ve been o nly  on th e d e fensiv e; totaketh e o f f ensiv e me ans  t here's a n e w  sp iritwo rkin g in 'e m.  D'you
think, n o w,that your fat her  isr i gh t,a nd Joh nT rev a n ion is the manbehind?"
"I do n't want t o  sa ywhat Ithink,Mr. P o lwhele, " replied  Dick.
"W he ther h e i s or not,we mustput a sto p  to i t . I ca n't  do mu ch , b ut
wh at I c a n d o I w ill."
" I'm gl ad to  h ear it. The curious thing is t hat Jo hn Tr eva nion hasbut lat ely beenhere .  One ofthe  fi shers  ha d  told  him of  th e  stra ngev essel, an d  h e c a m efor the sam e p urp ose a s y o u,
 the
riding-officer._As he_went he came to_a resolution.__The smugglers,_it
was_clear, were determined_on pursuing their_policy of persecution. _All
who opposed them,_or_whom they supposed to be their opponents, would
have to reckon with their remorseless animosity,_which_might express
itself_in_open_violence or deeds of stealth_as necessity demanded.  It
was_to be_war, and, as events were shaping themselves, war_between_the
village and the_Towers.  Well, the war should be fought out._ The
quarrel had been forced on_the Trevanions; they_had_not_willingly
departed from their neutrality;_but matters had now gone so_far that to
remain neutral was impossible,_and Dick resolved to take once for_all
the side of the law. He_anticipated some difficulty in bringing_his
father to_adopt the same attitude; but_at the present_moment the_Squire
was so indignant_with the smugglers that, even if_he was not_ready to
throw himself into active opposition_to_them, he might_not_forbid_Dick
to do_so.  Feeling_that_at such_a_crisis all quiet work at his_books_was
impossible, Dick determined to beg Mr. Carlyon_to release him, and_to
devote_himself heart and soul_to the contest, whether of_wits or
weapons.  The first object_must be_the rescue_of Joe Penwarden.

Mr. Polwhele was still at home.

"This is a new_thing, 'pon my life," he said,_when Dick had told_him his
tidings.__"Till now the_villains_have been_only on the defensive; to
take the offensive_means there's_a new spirit working in 'em._ D'you
think, now, that_your_father is right, and John Trevanion_is the man
behind?"

"I don't want to_say what I think, Mr._Polwhele,"_replied_Dick.
"Whether he is or not,_we must put a stop to_it.  I_can't do much, but
what I can do_I_will."

"I'm glad to hear it. _The_curious thing is that John Trevanion_has_but
lately_been here.  One of_the fishers had told him of_the strange
vessel, and he came for the same purpose_as you,