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this！ Why don't they come and help us？ There's not a man about the
place but the Methodist parson； and he's an old woman。 I demand
assistance in the king's name！'
'We must find the jineral public afore we can demand that；' said his
lieutenant。
'Well； well； we shall do better without 'em；' said Latimer； who
changed his moods at a moment's notice。 'But there's great cause of
suspicion in this silence and this keeping out of sight； and I'll
bear it in mind。 Now we will go across to Owlett's orchard； and see
what we can find there。'
Stockdale； who heard this discussion from the garden…gate； over
which he had been leaning； was rather alarmed； and thought it a
mistake of the villagers to keep so completely out of the way。 He
himself； like the excisemen； had been wondering for the last half…
hour what could have become of them。 Some labourers were of
necessity engaged in distant fields； but the master…workmen should
have been at home； though one and all； after just showing themselves
at their shops； had apparently gone off for the day。 He went in to
Lizzy； who sat at a back window sewing； and said； 'Lizzy； where are
the men？'
Lizzy laughed。 'Where they mostly are when they're run so hard as
this。' She cast her eyes to heaven。 'Up there；' she said。
Stockdale looked up。 'Whaton the top of the church tower？' he
asked； seeing the direction of her glance。
'Yes。'
'Well； I expect they will soon have to come down；' said he gravely。
'I have been listening to the officers； and they are going to search
the orchard over again； and then every nook in the church。'
Lizzy looked alarmed for the first time。 'Will you go and tell our
folk？' she said。 'They ought to be let know。' Seeing his
conscience struggling within him like a boiling pot； she added； 'No；
never mind； I'll go myself。'
She went out； descended the garden； and climbed over the churchyard
wall at the same time that the preventive…men were ascending the
road to the orchard。 Stockdale could do no less than follow her。
By the time that she reached the tower entrance he was at her side；
and they entered together。
Nether…Moynton church…tower was； as in many villages； without a
turret； and the only way to the top was by going up to the singers'
gallery； and thence ascending by a ladder to a square trap…door in
the floor of the bell…loft； above which a permanent ladder was
fixed； passing through the bells to a hole in the roof。 When Lizzy
and Stockdale reached the gallery and looked up； nothing but the
trap…door and the five holes for the bell…ropes appeared。 The
ladder was gone。
'There's no getting up；' said Stockdale。
'O yes； there is；' said she。 'There's an eye looking at us at this
moment through a knot…hole in that trap…door。'
And as she spoke the trap opened； and the dark line of the ladder
was seen descending against the white…washed wall。 When it touched
the bottom Lizzy dragged it to its place； and said； 'If you'll go
up； I'll follow。'
The young man ascended； and presently found himself among
consecrated bells for the first time in his life； nonconformity
having been in the Stockdale blood for some generations。 He eyed
them uneasily； and looked round for Lizzy。 Owlett stood here；
holding the top of the ladder。
'What； be you really one of us？' said the miller。
'It seems so；' said Stockdale sadly。
'He's not；' said Lizzy； who overheard。 'He's neither for nor
against us。 He'll do us no harm。'
She stepped up beside them； and then they went on to the next stage；
which； when they had clambered over the dusty bell…carriages； was of
easy ascent； leading towards the hole through which the pale sky
appeared； and into the open air。 Owlett remained behind for a
moment； to pull up the lower ladder。
'Keep down your heads；' said a voice； as soon as they set foot on
the flat。
Stockdale here beheld all the missing parishioners； lying on their
stomachs on the tower roof； except a few who； elevated on their
hands and knees； were peeping through the embrasures of the parapet。
Stockdale did the same； and saw the village lying like a map below
him； over which moved the figures of the excisemen； each
foreshortened to a crablike object； the crown of his hat forming a
circular disc in the centre of him。 Some of the men had turned
their heads when the young preacher's figure arose among them。
'What； Mr。 Stockdale？' said Matt Grey； in a tone of surprise。
'I'd as lief that it hadn't been；' said Jim Clarke。 'If the pa'son
should see him a trespassing here in his tower； 'twould be none the
better for we； seeing how 'a do hate chapel…members。 He'd never buy
a tub of us again； and he's as good a customer as we have got this
side o' Warm'll。'
'Where is the pa'son？' said Lizzy。
'In his house； to be sure； that he mid see nothing of what's going
onwhere all good folks ought to be； and this young man likewise。'
'Well； he has brought some news；' said Lizzy。 'They are going to
search the orchet and church； can we do anything if they should
find？'
'Yes；' said her cousin Owlett。 'That's what we've been talking o'；
and we have settled our line。 Well； be dazed！'
The exclamation was caused by his perceiving that some of the
searchers； having got into the orchard； and begun stooping and
creeping hither and thither； were pausing in the middle； where a
tree smaller than the rest was growing。 They drew closer； and bent
lower than ever upon the ground。
'O； my tubs！' said Lizzy faintly； as she peered through the parapet
at them。
'They have got 'em； 'a b'lieve；' said Owlett。
The interest in the movements of the officers was so keen that not a
single eye was looking in any other direction； but at that moment a
shout from the church beneath them attracted the attention of the
smugglers； as it did also of the party in the orchard； who sprang to
their feet and went towards the churchyard wall。 At the same time
those of the Government men who had entered the church unperceived
by the smugglers cried aloud； 'Here be some of 'em at last。'
The smugglers remained in a blank silence； uncertain whether 'some
of 'em' meant tubs or men； but again peeping cautiously over the
edge of the tower they learnt that tubs were the things descried；
and soon these fated articles were brought one by one into the
middle of the churchyard from their hiding…place under the gallery…
stairs。
'They are going to put 'em on Hinton's vault till they find the
rest！' said Lizzy hopelessly。 The excisemen had； in fact； begun to
pile up the tubs on a large stone slab which was fixed there； and
when all were brought out from the tower； two or three of the men
were left standing by them； the rest of the party again proceeding
to the orchard。
The interest of the smugglers in the next manoeuvres of their
enemies became painfully intense。 Only about thirty tubs had been
secreted in the lumber of the tower； but seventy were hidden in the
orchard； making up all that they had brought ashore as yet； the
remainder of the cargo having been tied to a sinker and dropped
overboard for another night's operations。 The excisemen； having re…
entered the orchard； acted as if they were positive that here lay
hidden the rest of the tubs； which they were determined to find
before nightfall。 They spread themselves out round the field； and
advancing on all fours as before； went anew round every apple…tree
in the enclosure。 The young tree in the middle again led them to
pause； and at length the whole company gathered there in a way which
signified that a second chain of reasoning had led to the same
results as the first。
When they had examined the sod hereabouts for some minutes； one of
the men rose； ran to a disused porch of the church where tools were
kept； and returned with the sexton's pickaxe and shovel； with which
they set to work。
'Are they really buried there？' said the minister； for the grass was
so green and uninjured that it was difficult to believe it had been
disturbed。 The smugglers were too interested to reply； and
presently they saw； to their chagrin； the officers stand several on
each side of the tree； and； stooping and applying their hands to the