Theladderwasreplaced，andallbutOwlettdescended，themenpassingoffonebyoneatthebackofthechurch，andvanishingontheirrespectiveerrands。
　　Lizzywalkedboldlyalongthestreet，followedcloselybytheminister。
　　’Youaregoingindoors，Mrs。Newberry？’hesaid。
　　Sheknewfromthewords’Mrs。Newberry’thatthedivisionbetweenthemhadwidenedyetanotherdegree。
　　’Iamnotgoinghome，’shesaid。’IhavealittlethingtodobeforeIgoin。MarthaSarahwillgetyourtea。’
　　’O，Idon’tmeanonthataccount，’saidStockdale。’WhatCANyouhavetodofurtherinthisunhallowedaffair？’
　　’Onlyalittle，’shesaid。
　　’Whatisthat？I’llgowithyou。’
　　’No，Ishallgobymyself。Willyoupleasegoindoors？Ishallbethereinlessthananhour。’
　　’Youarenotgoingtorunanydanger，Lizzy？’saidtheyoungman，histendernessreassertingitself。
　　’Nonewhatever——worthmentioning，’answeredshe，andwentdowntowardstheCross。
　　Stockdaleenteredthegardengate，andstoodbehinditlookingon。
　　Theexcisemenwerestillbusyintheorchard，andatlasthewastemptedtoenter，andwatchtheirproceedings。Whenhecamecloserhefoundthatthesecretcellar，ofwhoseexistencehehadbeentotallyunaware，wasformedbytimbersplacedacrossfromsidetosideaboutafootundertheground，andgrassedover。
　　TheexcisemenlookedupatStockdale’sfairanddownycountenance，andevidentlythinkinghimabovesuspicion，wentonwiththeirworkagain。Assoonasallthetubsweretakenout，theybegantearinguptheturf；pullingoutthetimbers，andbreakinginthesides，tillthecellarwaswhollydismantledandshapeless，theapple-treelyingwithitsrootshightotheair。Buttheholewhichhadinitstimeheldsomuchcontrabandmerchandizewasnevercompletelyfilledup，eitherthenorafterwards，adepressioninthegreenswardmarkingthespottothisday。
　　AsthegoodshadalltobecarriedtoBudmouththatnight，theexcisemen’snextobjectwastofindhorsesandcartsforthejourney，andtheywentaboutthevillageforthatpurpose。Latimerstrodehitherandthitherwithalumpofchalkinhishand，markingbroad-arrowssovigorouslyoneveryvehicleandsetofharnessthathecameacross，thatitseemedasifhewouldchalkbroad-arrowsontheveryhedgesandroads。TheownerofeveryconveyancesomarkedwasboundtogiveitupforGovernmentpurposes。Stockdale，whohadhadenoughofthescene，turnedindoorsthoughtfulanddepressed。
　　Lizzywasalreadythere，havingcomeinattheback，thoughshehadnotyettakenoffherbonnet。Shelookedtired，andhermoodwasnotmuchbrighterthanhisown。Theyhadbutlittletosaytoeachother；andtheministerwentawayandattemptedtoread；butatthishecouldnotsucceed，andheshookthelittlebellfortea。
　　Lizzyherselfbroughtinthetray，thegirlhavingrunoffintothevillageduringtheafternoon，toofullofexcitementattheproceedingstorememberherstateoflife。However，almostbeforethesadlovershadsaidanythingtoeachother，Marthacameininasteamingstate。
　　’O，there’ssuchastoor，Mrs。NewberryandMr。Stockdale！Theking’sexcisemencan’tgetthecartsreadynohowatall！TheypulledThomasBallam’s，andWilliamRogers’s，andStephenSprake’scartsintotheroad，andoffcamethewheels，anddownfellthecarts；andtheyfoundtherewasnolinch-pinsinthearms；andthentheytriedSamuelShane’swaggon，andfoundthatthescrewsweregonefromhe，andatlasttheylookedatthedairyman’scart，andhe’sgotnoneneither！Theyhavegonenowtotheblacksmith’stogetsomemade，buthe’snowheretobefound！’
　　StockdalelookedatLizzy，whoblushedveryslightly，andwentoutoftheroom，followedbyMarthaSarah。Butbeforetheyhadgotthroughthepassagetherewasarapatthefrontdoor，andStockdalerecognizedLatimer’svoiceaddressingMrs。Newberry，whohadturnedback。
　　’ForGod’ssake，Mrs。Newberry，haveyouseenHardmantheblacksmithupthisway？Ifwecouldgetholdofhim，we’de’ena’mostdraghimbythehairofhisheadtohisanvil，whereheoughttobe。’
　　’He’sanidleman，Mr。Latimer，’saidLizzyarchly。’Whatdoyouwanthimfor？’
　　’Why，thereisn’tahorseintheplacethathasgotmorethanthreeshoeson，andsomehaveonlytwo。Thewaggon-wheelsbewithoutstrakes，andthere’snolinch-pinstothecarts。Whatwiththat，andthebotherabouteverysetofharnessbeingoutoforder，weshan’tbeoffbeforenightfall——uponmysoulweshan’t。’Tisaroughlot，Mrs。Newberry，thatyou’vegotaboutyouhere；butthey’llplayatthisgameoncetoooften，markmywordstheywill！
　　There’snotamanintheparishthatdon’tdeservetobewhipped。’
　　IthappenedthatHardmanwasatthatmomentalittlefurtherupthelane，smokinghispipebehindaholly-bush。WhenLatimerhaddonespeakinghewentoninthisdirection，andHardman，hearingtheexciseman’ssteps，foundcuriositytoostrongforprudence。HepeepedoutfromthebushattheverymomentthatLatimer’sglancewasonit。Therewasnothingleftforhimtodobuttocomeforwardwithunconcern。
　　’I’vebeenlookingforyouforthelasthour！’saidLatimerwithaglareinhiseye。
　　’Sorrytohearthat，’saidHardman。’I’vebeenoutforastroll，tolookformorehidtubs，todeliver’emuptoGover’ment。’
　　’Oyes，Hardman，weknowit，’saidLatimer，withwitheringsarcasm。
　　’Weknowthatyou’lldeliver’emuptoGover’ment。Weknowthatalltheparishishelpingus，andhavebeenallday！Nowyoupleasewalkalongwithmedowntoyourshop，andkindlyletmehireyeintheking’sname。’
　　Theywentdownthelanetogether；andpresentlythereresoundedfromthesmithytheringofahammernotverybrisklyswung。However，thecartsandhorsesweregotintosomesortoftravellingcondition，butitwasnotuntilaftertheclockhadstrucksix，whenthemuddyroadswereglisteningunderthehorizontallightofthefadingday。Thesmuggledtubsweresoonpackedintothevehicles，andLatimer，withthreeofhisassistants，droveslowlyoutofthevillageinthedirectionoftheportofBudmouth，someconsiderablenumberofmilesdistant，theotherexcisemenbeinglefttowatchfortheremainderofthecargo，whichtheyknewtohavebeensunksomewherebetweenRingsworthandLulsteadCove，andtounearthOwlett，theonlypersonclearlyimplicatedbythediscoveryofthecave。
　　Womenandchildrenstoodatthedoorsasthecarts，eachchalkedwiththeGovernmentpitchfork，passedintheincreasingtwilight；
　　andastheystoodtheylookedattheconfiscatedpropertywithamelancholyexpressionthattoldonlytooplainlytherelationwhichtheyboretothetrade。
　　’Well，Lizzy，’saidStockdale，whenthecrackleofthewheelshadnearlydiedaway。’Thisisafitfinishtoyouradventure。Iamtrulythankfulthatyouhavegotoffwithoutsuspicion，andthelossonlyoftheliquor。Willyousitdownandletmetalktoyou？’
　　’Byandby，’shesaid。’ButImustgooutnow。’
　　’Nottothathorridshoreagain？’hesaidblankly。
　　’No，notthere。Iamonlygoingtoseetheendofthisday’sbusiness。’
　　Hedidnotanswertothis，andshemovedtowardsthedoorslowly，asifwaitingforhimtosaysomethingmore。
　　’Youdon’toffertocomewithme，’sheaddedatlast。’Isupposethat’sbecauseyouhatemeafterallthis？’
　　’Canyousayit，Lizzy，whenyouknowIonlywanttosaveyoufromsuchpractices？ComewithyouofcourseIwill，ifitisonlytotakecareofyou。Butwhywillyougooutagain？’
　　’BecauseIcannotrestindoors。Somethingishappening，andImustknowwhat。Now，come！’Andtheywentintothedusktogether。
　　Whentheyreachedtheturnpike-roadsheturnedtotheright，andhesoonperceivedthattheywerefollowingthedirectionoftheexcisemenandtheirload。Hehadgivenherhisarm，andeverynowandthenshesuddenlypulleditback，tosignifythathewastohaltamomentandlisten。Theyhadwalkedratherquicklyalongthefirstquarterofamile，andonthesecondorthirdtimeofstandingstillshesaid，’Ihearthemahead——don’tyou？’
　　’Yes，’hesaid；’Ihearthewheels。Butwhatofthat？’
　　’Ionlywanttoknowiftheygetclearawayfromtheneighbourhood。’
　　’Ah，’saidhe，alightbreakinguponhim。’Somethingdesperateistobeattempted！——andnowIremembertherewasnotamanaboutthevillagewhenweleft。’
　　’Hark！’shemurmured。Thenoiseofthecartwheelshadstopped，andgivenplacetoanothersortofsound。
　　’’Tisascuffle！’saidStockdale。’There’llbemurder！Lizzy，letgomyarm；Iamgoingon。Onmyconscience，Imustnotstayhereanddonothing！’
　　’There’llbenomurder，andnotevenabrokenhead，’shesaid。’Ourmenarethirtytofourofthem:noharmwillbedoneatall。’
　　’ThenthereISanattack！’exclaimedStockdale；’andyouknewitwastobe。Whyshouldyousidewithmenwhobreakthelawslikethis？’
　　’Whyshouldyousidewithmenwhotakefromcountrytraderswhattheyhavehonestlyboughtwi’theirownmoneyinFrance？’saidshefirmly。
　　’Theyarenothonestlybought，’saidhe。
　　’Theyare，’shecontradicted。’IandOwlettandtheotherspaidthirtyshillingsforeveryoneofthetubsbeforetheywereputonboardatCherbourg，andifakingwhoisnothingtoussendshispeopletostealourproperty，wehavearighttostealitbackagain。’
　　Stockdaledidnotstoptoarguethematter，butwentquicklyinthedirectionofthenoise，Lizzykeepingathisside。’Don’tyouinterfere，willyou，dearRichard？’shesaidanxiously，astheydrewnear。’Don’tletusgoanycloser:’tisatWarm’ellCrosswheretheyareseizing’em。Youcandonogood，andyoumaymeetwithahardblow！’
　　’Letusseefirstwhatisgoingon，’hesaid。Butbeforetheyhadgotmuchfurtherthenoiseofthecartwheelsbeganagain；andStockdalesoonfoundthattheywerecomingtowardshim。Inanotherminutethethreecartscameup，andStockdaleandLizzystoodintheditchtoletthempass。