Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/209

 altogether have relished it had Beelzebub not proved himself such an indefectible [sic] and capable pilot.

"Heels in hard, Jack Ketch, when I tell you. Now!" And hard went the heels in, and neck to neck went the horses straight at the broad dyke. "Yoikes!" And up they would go, crashing down again into the rush tops on the far side. And in this way they traversed the Marsh for six miles till they reached the highroad under Lympne Hill. There they drew rein at a spot where three roads met. At the bend of these roads Jerry could see a man on a tall gray horse.

"That's the Scarecrow," whispered Beelzebub. "That's the great man hisself."

One of the jack-o'-lanterns trotted off on his pony toward this figure, and Jerk saw him salute the Scarecrow, who handed him a paper. Saluting again, the youngster came back to Beelzebub, who took the paper from him and read it carefully by the light of the young jack's lantern. These boys carried lanterns fixed upon long poles, bearing them standard fashion as they rode. As he was reading, Beelzebub kept catching in his breath in an excited manner, and as he tucked the paper away in his belt he muttered: "May the Marsh be good to the Scarecrow to-night!" Jerry instinctively looked down the road to where the Scarecrow had been standing, but horse and rider had disappeared. "Ah! Jack Ketch," said Beelzebub, "you are wondering wot's become of him, eh? You'd need an eye of quicksilver