our chaps left the tubs and bolted over the hill, and up the country with the preventives after 'em. The lieutenant, who was a plucky little chap, out with a pistol and let fly at me. Lucky for me that bullet had a billet somewhere else. It whistled past without hitting me. Here's in for it, says I to myself ; life's dear anyhow, if it comes to my life or yours, why I prefer to save my own. So before my man could draw another pistol, I ran at him quick, and in a moment had him by the throat, with my bat over his head, as I felt mortal savage just then. But when I looked down into his face, - for he was but a boy compared with me and I was one of the biggest -- men in Hastings somehow I felt soft at once. He might have a mother, so had I. So, dash it, I felt I couldn't hurt him for the life of me. He looked up quite calm like he was a brave chap, and
only doing his duty. I snatched the other pistol from his belt, and chucked it into the sea and says, says I, Now, lad, I don't want to hurt a hair of your head, nor I don't want a hair of my head to be hurt either. Now, if I let you go, will you wait till I get out of sight before you budge, and promise not to know me again if ever you see me ? He gasped out for I held his wind pipe tight like -- "England expects - Yes, my lad, says I, and I expects too ; so you had better be reasonable, and say, yes, quietly. Let me go and trust me, says he. So I lets him go, and trusted him ; and that way he got off, and so did I quick, you may be sure. None of the men were catched, but the tubs were nabbed. That didn't matter much, for two safe runs out of three paid us well. Old Tom T_____ was the cleverest man I knew in dishing the Blockademen. One night he met a coastguard officer. They knew each other well enough. Tom touches his hat and says, "Good morning, sir." "Good morning," says the officer, "you've been playing your little
game again, I hear, but I'll nab you next time as sure as fate, mark my words."
"I don't think you will," says Tom, "and if I thought there was a chance of your doing it, I'd chuck up the business at once your wit against mine, sir." About three weeks after Tom ; wrote him a note and says he's going to run a cargo on Thursday night under the East Cliff. Just before dusk a lot of us were told off to go to Galley Hill, and I and a few others were to wait at home for a call. About eleven o'clock we got a call, and was told to make We our way to Covehurst. We cleared Tom's boat in a jiffey, and by three was at home in bed. The men at Galley Hill laid low, making an occasional flash light signal for a blind, till one o'clock, when they stole away quietly towards Sidley. We don't know what time the Coastguard gave it up. Tom sent the officer another note, it was only " My wit against yours." We often had a good laugh about it, but it was an awful risk.
(It is thought the man referred to was Tom Tutt, a noted smuggler, many years dead, but is remembered by some who are still living. Author )
