Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/210

 to keep sight of him. Here, there, and everywhere, and all at once he is, and astride the finest horse on Romney Marsh, a horse wot 'ud make the Prince Regent's mouth water, a horse more valuable to the Scarecrow than the Bank of England 'ud be."

"But where's he gone to?" asked Jerry.

"About his business and thine, Jack Ketch," answered Beelzebub.

"I wish I'd seen him go," returned Jerry, "for I likes to see a good horse on the move. He went very silent, didn't he?"

"You'll never hear the noise of the Scarecrow's horse a-trottin', Jack Ketch, 'cos he's got pads on his hoofs. Ah! he's up to some tricks, is the Scarecrow, and, by hell! he'll need 'em to-night."

"Why?" asked Jerk.

"Because he's had word passed from Hellspite that the King's men are out, and Scarecrow thinks as how we may have to fight 'em."

"And don't you want to do that?"

"Why, you see it 'ud be awkward if any of us got wounded, as wounded men ain't easy things to hide in a village now, is they? and it 'ud be a difficult business to explain. Though, come to that, Scarecrow ain't never put out for an explanation o' nothing."

As he was speaking, Beelzebub took Jerry's rein and started off again at the head of the cavalcade. Their way was now along the road the Scarecrow had gone,