they could not swear that the kegs picked up were
identical with those let go by the smugglers. Accordingly they were ordered, whenever such an event
happened, to mark the line of kegs by casting to
them a peculiarly painted buoy.
In order to have information relative to the smugglers, so as to be on the alert to "nab" them, the Government had paid spies in the foreign ports, and also in the English ports.
Woe betide a spy if he were caught! No mercy was shown him. There is here and there on the coast a pit, surrounded on all sides but one by the sea, that goes by the name of "Dead Man's Pool," in which tradition says that spies have been dropped.
Mr. Hawker, who has already been quoted, had as his man-of-all-work an ex-smuggler named Pentire, from whom he got many stories. One day Pentire asked Mr. Hawker:—
"Can you tell me the reason, sir, that no grass will ever grow on the grave of a man that's hanged unjustly?"
"Indeed! How came that about?"
"Why, you see, they got poor Will down to Bodmin, all among strangers; and there was bribery and false swearing, and so they agreed together and hanged poor Will. But his friends begged the body and brought the corpse home here to his own parish, and they turfed the grave, and they sowed the grass twenty times over, but 'twas all of no use, nothing would grow; he was hanged unjustly."
"Well, but, Pentire, what was he accused of? What had Will Pooly done?"
