Contraband A Tale of Modern Smugglers (ePub)

Excerpt: 'The mail packet S.S. Glenbow, ploughing her way up the south-west coast of Newfoundland in a beam sea and half a gale of wind, rolled rail in rail out as she neared St. Lawrence. Dare Stanley, who had been lying down in his berth, felt the necessity of fresh air, and slipping on an oilskin coat he made his way on deck. The air was fresh enough there in all conscience! He found all but the bridge deserted; the heavy sea made a stay on deck undesirable. Yet he did not wish to return to his cabin, having a desire for company of some sort, so, watching his chance, he fought his way aft to where the smoke-room was situated. Short as was the trip, he was drenched and had the breath half knocked out of him before he could gain sanctuary. Once he reached the smoke-room he had to exert all his strength to open the door, which was pressed to as with a vice by the weight of the wind. He managed to get it open enough to slip inside, when the door closed precipitately behind him and knocked him half-way across the room. He was helped to his feet by the chief engineer, who was seated at a card-table with the captain and two passengers. Three other passengers completed the company. 'Hello, young Stanley!' shouted the captain, who was a friend of Dare's father. 'Bit rough outside, is it?' Dare showed his teeth in a grin for answer, and stripped himself of his oilskins, while the company returned to consideration of the game his entry had interrupted. It was soon finished. The captain, who was partnered with one of the passengers, showed great good humour as he drew in his share of the winnings. Not so the chief, who had lost. 'There ye are,' said that disgruntled individual as he paid out. 'Man, dear, did ye ever see such cards in all your born days! If my luck keeps bad I'll have to follow the lead of the fo'c'sle crew and play for tobacco.' This humorous sally was greeted by an appreciative guffaw. 'Speaking of tobacco,' said one of the passengers during the conversational lull which followed, 'I'm a living witness that the only way you can get rid of it on this coast is to give it away.' 'That's so,' agreed his companion. They were both, it seemed, representatives of tobacco firms. 'And of all the places on the coast Saltern Bay is the worst.' 'It's a crying shame!' This topic in lieu of a better was seized upon as likely to yield something of interest. 'How's that, Mr. Parsons?' said the captain insinuatingly. 'Smuggling,' answered Mr. Parsons tersely, and all the company, including Dare, pricked up their ears. For although this was a perennial subject of discussion, it never failed to rouse interest, for the simple reason that it touched nearly everyone's feelings or pockets, or both, in one way or another.'