"I must not wait though for you, general," said Harry, mounting. "What is the matter?" he asked of the groom who a.s.sisted him on his horse.
"Oh sir," said the groom, "there has been murder, we fear, already. Mr Grooc.o.c.k"s cob has just galloped in from across the park with blood on his saddle, and it"s too clear that the steward has been killed, or the animal would not have come home without him."
"This is terrible," said Harry; "poor old man. Go some of you and search for him. I must not delay." Turning to the sergeant, he added, galloping on--"Do you and your men accompany me."
The sergeant mounted his horse and followed him. The troopers were found drawn up at the entrance of the avenue, while in the distance were seen a large band of wild-looking fellows armed in a variety of ways, some on horseback, and others on foot, apparently watching the movements of the soldiers, by whose timely arrival they had been prevented from entering the park.
The sergeant ordered his men to follow.
"Those are the fellows who fired at the carriage, and were nearly overtaking it when we came up, I can swear to that," he said.
"We must seize their leader, and as many as we can get hold of, or they may still attack the Hall," answered Harry.
"The sooner we are at them the better, though I fear they will not stand us," cried the sergeant. "Charge, my lads, and get hold of the fellow on the black horse. I saw him fire two shots."
And putting spurs to their horses, they dashed on.
As they were galloping along, and before they had gone many paces, Harry, to his grief, saw the apparently dead body of the steward lying close by the road-side, where he had, it seemed, fallen when shot. He could not stop to ascertain whether he was dead or alive.
The smugglers still held their ground not two hundred yards off. Harry recognised Miles Gaffin, who, by his actions, was evidently endeavouring to induce his followers to advance to the encounter. As the well disciplined little band drew near them, the ruffian"s courage gave way.
The men on foot rushed off on either side. The hors.e.m.e.n stood a moment longer, and at Gaffin"s command fired a volley, but directly afterwards, though superior in numbers, knowing well how ill able they were to resist the charge of the troopers, they wheeled round their horses, and galloped off in the direction of Hurlston. Gaffin was the last to turn.
He quickly overtook the rest, and pushing through them on his fleet and powerful horse, soon took the lead. Though vastly superior in a charge, the troopers" horses were ill able to come up with the active steeds of the lightly-armed smugglers. The latter kept well ahead, though Harry urged his companions not to spare the spur. As openings occurred free of trees, first one of the smugglers rode off, then another, others following, some going on one side, some on another, till a small band only held together, led by Gaffin, who had, however, distanced them considerably. Believing, probably, that he was going to desert them, the remainder, swearing loudly at his cowardice, following the example of the first, began to disperse, several throwing themselves from their horses, and making their way through the thick brushwood, where the troopers had little hopes of overtaking them.
"Keep the fellow on the black horse in sight," shouted Harry. "He is the man, I doubt not, who murdered the steward. Let some of your men accompany me, and follow him with the rest."
The sergeant gave the order as Harry requested, and half the men continued on with Harry towards Downside, while Gaffin was seen to be making by the nearest road for the mill. His object apparently was to take shelter within it, and to sell his life dearly, or he might hope to conceal himself till he could make his escape by some secret pa.s.sage, or by other means with which he alone was acquainted.
The thickening gloom of evening rendered all objects indistinct. The sergeant and his men, however, kept the smuggler in sight till they saw him reach the downs on which the mill stood, where his figure was distinctly visible against the sky. It was but for a moment, for at the same instant, a party of the sea-fencibles who had been concealed behind the mill, started up, and several shots were fired at him. It was not seen whether any had taken effect; the horse and rider disappeared, at it seemed, over the edge of the cliff. The troopers expected as they reached the spot to see him dashed to pieces on the sands, but he had reached the bottom in safety by a pathway which a desperate man alone would have ventured to take. They caught a glimpse of him as he galloped along the sands towards the south.
"We must follow him, my lads, or he will escape after all," said the sergeant, though, as no one dared descend the path Gaffin had taken, the troopers were compelled to take their way round by a circuitous road till they could gain the level of the beach. By that time the daring smuggler was lost to sight.
In the meantime, the foot soldiers hurried along the top of the downs to stop him should he desert his horse and attempt to escape by climbing up the cliffs and make his way across the country.
The sergeant and his men made comparatively slow progress over the sands. They discovered too that the tide was rising, and had good reason to fear that they might be caught under the cliffs, and be carried off by the sea which was rolling in with a sullen roar.
The sergeant at the same moment fancied he could discern the figure of a horseman at some distance ahead, close under the cliffs, and already surrounded by water. The steed was plunging and rearing, while the rider in vain endeavoured to urge him forward. Presently, both together disappeared, overwhelmed by a sea which rolled in, and broke in ma.s.ses of spray against the foot of the cliff. Not far off a dark object, which might have been a boat, was seen.
However, the advancing sea warned the sergeant that he and his men must beat a rapid retreat, or run the risk of losing their horses, if not their lives. They had, indeed, to plunge through the sea up to their horses" girths before they regained the end of the cliff, where they were once more in safety.
CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR.
SURPRISES.
Since we last met Adam Halliburt the _Nancy_ had shared the fate of other craft; her stout planks and timbers gradually yielding to age, she had become too leaky to put to sea, and had been broken up for firewood.
Adam having no sons to help him, had taken to insh.o.r.e fishing in a small boat which he and a lad could manage. The dame"s baskets were, however, still well supplied with fish.
Honest Jacob, to his parents" joy, had arrived at home. Adam was about to set out on his daily fishing.
"I will go with you, father," he said; "maybe with my help you will sooner be able to get back."
The dame, glad that Adam should enjoy his son"s company, was willing to wait till their return, to hear all Jacob had to tell them.
They stood away under sail to the south, where the best fishing ground lay.
Seldom had Adam been so happy as he was listening to Jacob"s account of his adventures, and not often had he been more successful in making a good catch of fish.
The evening was drawing on, and it was time to return, when the wind shifting, headed them, and they were compelled to take to their oars, Jacob and the boy pulling, while Adam steered. They kept close in sh.o.r.e to avoid the tide, which was running to the southward. The wind increased too, and they made but slow progress, so that night overtook them before they had proceeded half the distance.
There was still light sufficient to enable Adam to see a man on horseback galloping along the beach under the cliff, the water already reaching up to the animal"s knees.
"What can he be about?" exclaimed Adam. "He must be mad to try and pa.s.s along there; he will be lost to a certainty if he moves a few fathoms further on."
Adam shouted at the top of his voice, and waved his hat, but the horseman neither saw nor heard him.
Presently, as Adam had antic.i.p.ated, the horse began to struggle violently in a vain effort to escape from a soft quicksand which prevented it either from swimming or wading. The next instant a sea rolling in washed the rider from its back. He struck out boldly, making a desperate effort for life. Jacob and the boy pulled with all their might towards him, but before they could reach him a sea had dashed him against the cliff. By a mighty effort he got clear of it, when a receding wave carried him towards them. Before the boat reached him, however, he had ceased to struggle, and was sinking for the last time when Adam caught him by the collar, and with Jacob"s a.s.sistance hauled him into the boat. Jacob had at once to resume his oar, for they were so near the cliff that the boat might, in another instant, have been dashed against it. They got clear, however, but the tide had drifted them to the south.
"He is still alive," said Adam, "but seems much hurt, and I fear will die if we don"t soon get him before a warm fire. We are just under Mad Sal"s hut, and the best thing we can do will be to carry him up there."
"It will be a hard matter to land though, father, won"t it?" said Jacob, "and we may risk the loss of the boat."
"Worth risking it for the sake of a human life, even if the man was our greatest enemy. There is a little creek in there, and if I can hit it, the boat will be safe enough. Stand by to jump out when I tell you."
Jacob and the boy pulled on, and in another minute a sea lifted the boat, and though the surf broke on board she floated on, and dropped down safely into a pool, where there was no danger of her being carried away. Adam and his companions jumping out, hauled the boat up on the beach. Leaving the boy in charge of her, he and Jacob then carried the man they had rescued, and who was still insensible, towards Mad Sal"s hut, which could just be distinguished on the side of the ravine by the glare of light coming through the c.h.i.n.ks in the window and door.
Adam knocked loudly.
"Who comes to disturb me now?" exclaimed the old woman from within. "Is my solitude constantly to be broken in upon by strangers?"
"We bring you a well-nigh drowned man, who will die if you refuse him your aid, good dame," said Adam. "In mercy do not keep us outside."
The door was opened.
"What! another victim murdered by the cruel salt sea," exclaimed old Sal, as she saw the burden Adam and Jacob carried.
"We must have off his wet clothes, and warm his hands and feet, or he soon will be dead," said Adam, as they carried the man into the room.
The sight seemed to calm instead of agitating the old woman, for she set about attending to the man in a more sensible way than might have been expected. While Adam and Jacob took off the man"s wet clothes, she brought a blanket that they might wrap it round his body. She then, kneeling down, a.s.sisted them in chafing his hands and feet. A deep groan showed that their efforts were successful, and the man soon opened his eyes, and gazed wildly at them. The old woman threw some sticks on the fire, which blazing up now for the first time, revealed his features more clearly than before.
"Why, father, he is Miles Gaffin," exclaimed Jacob.
"I knew that," answered Adam, "when we hauled him into the boat."
"Miles Gaffin," cried Mad Sal, "the bloodthirsty and wretched man shall not live out half his days; yet, as the sea refused to keep him, we must not be more cruel."
Gaffin made no answer, but continued to glare wildly at the faces bent over him. He occasionally groaned and muttered a few unintelligible words.