Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/65

 "So am I," agreed the physician.

"And I'd give a lot to know how he got off that reef," said Doctor Syn.

But at that instant the butler opened the door, and Job Mallet shuffled into the room, looking troubled. "Where's the mulatto?" said the captain sharply, for the bo'sun was alone.

"I don't know, sir," answered the bo'sun sheepishly; "he's gone!"

"Gone? Where to?" said the captain.

"Don't know, sir," answered the bo'sun. "I see him curled up in the barn along of the others just afore I stepped outside to stand watch, and when I went to wake him to bring him along of me, why, blest if he hadn't disappeared."

"Did you look for him?" said the captain.

"Well, sir, I was a-lookin' for him as far down as to the end of the field where one of them ditches run," said the bo'sun, "when I see something wot fair beat anything I ever seed afore: it was a regiment of horse, some twenty of 'em maybe, but if them riders weren't devils, well, I ain't a seaman."

"What were they like?" screamed Sennacherib.

"Wild-looking fellows on horses wot seemed to snort out fire, and the faces of the riders and horses were all moonlight sort of colour, but before I'd shouted, 'Belay there!' they'd all disappeared in the mist."

"How far away were these riders?" said the captain.