Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/244

 "Now what am I to do? Press gang at Rye! Twenty-four hours! What have I got to do with that flabby-faced schoolmaster? Where's he got to? How the devil should I know? P'raps he thinks that I have danced him off somewhere. Never heard of such a thing in my life. But what am I to do? That's what I want to know! What am I to do? My poor Denis! Why, I wouldn't have quarrelled with him if I'd known. Why has that schoolmaster disappeared? By what infernal right, I say, has that insignificant anæmic louse disappeared?"

Doctor Syn then briefly related the bo'sun's story of Rash's disappearance, which the squire listened to impatiently.

"Well, sir," the latter exclaimed at the conclusion, "as far as that schoolmaster's concerned, I don't mind if he's roasting on Lucifer's spit, for I dislike the man, but when his disappearance concerns the safety of my son, my God! he's got to put in an appearance and be quick about it. For I'll have him routed out of his infernal hiding-place. I'll rouse the Marshmen and have him routed out."

"That's all very well. Squire, but how?"

"How, sir?" echoed that irascible gentleman. "How? Do you ask me how? Well, I don't know! How? Yes, how?"

"That's the question," ruefully remarked Doctor Syn.