first bottle of wine, Harris himself informed me that he was employed
in smuggling; had a partner-accomplice in the Customs House, and
perfect arrangements aboard a certain ship. By these last double
advantages, he came aboard with twenty trunks, if he so pleased,
without risking anything from the inquisitiveness or loquacity of the
officers of the ship; and later debarked at New York with the
certainty of going scatheless through the customs as rapidly as his
Inspector partner could chalk scrawlingly "O.K." upon his sundry
pieces of baggage.

Coming from Old Trinity, still mooting Cornbury and his smugglings, my
thoughts turned to Harris. Also, for the earliest time, I began to
consider within myself whether smuggling was not a field of business
wherein a pushing man might grow and reap a harvest. The idea came to
me to turn "free-trader." The government had destroyed me; I would
make reprisal. I would give my hand to smuggling and spoil the
Egyptian.

At once I sought Harris and over a glass of Burgundy--ever a favorite
wine with me--we struck agreement. As a finale, we each put in fifteen
thousand dollars and with the whole sum of thirty thousand dollars
Harris pushed forth for Europe while I remained behind. Harris visited
Lyons; and our complete investment was in a choicest sort of Lyons
silk. The rich fabrics were packed in a dozen trunks--not all alike,
these trunks, but differing, one from another, so as to prevent the
notion as they stood about the wharf that there was aught of
relationship between them or that one man stood owner of them all.

It is not needed to tell of my partner's voyage of return. It was
without event and one may safely abandon it, leaving its relation to