“We must not bank on that,” went Doctor Syn. “We must suppose that he is still afloat, and by now the gale that
is driving us is also helping him. But we can make more speed than any vessel in the Channel. Now let us put
ourselves in his place. From what we know of him, let us translate his psychology to ourselves. Here is a desperate
man, who for many weary years has been our prisoner back there in the mouth of the Somme. Under our faithful
French lieutenant, Duloge, he has been worked hard, helping to load our cargoes with no thought of gain to himself.
A little while back a fresh prisoner arrives. He is but one more of many who have betrayed the Scarecrow. This
prisoner, Hart, tells his new companions of the great reward offered for information laid against the Scarecrow’s
organization. Covetous for the freedom and money, he determines to escape, and thinks of the chances he has of
stealing one of Duloge’s fishing boats and crossing the Channel. But he realizes that even could he get away in a
boat, his absence would be discovered at the next roll-call. So he enlists the help of his fellow prisoners: organizes a
mutiny, seizes the store-house on the quay, and with the arms and ammunition contained in it, declare a state of
siege, knowing that there can be no roll-call, and that he can escape without being followed by a larger and faster
boat.
“Of course he had to wait for a favourable night to escape, but he must have congratulated himself that he
effected it before Duloge could get our help. Before leaving he exhorts his fellow mutineers to hold out at all costs
till he brings them rescue from the British Navy. He will hurry, of course, because he is eager for his reward money,
but he cannot know that Duloge and ourselves have acted so quickly, raised the siege, recaptured the mutineers, and
are now on his heels. Still, he will hurry for all that, and having no money will sell the stolen boat and with the
money take to the road.”
“Or keep to the water and sail for the London river,” interrupted Mipps.
“He might, but I think not,” went on Doctor Syn. “He is a landlubber and will feel safer ashore. Therefore, he
will try to land this side of Dungeness, for he would not dare to show his face upon the Marsh, since he has too
many enemies there in the men he tried to betray. I suggest he will make for the Sussex coast, and if successful take
to the Hastings-London road. Hart will have told him that our bitter enemy, Admiral Troubridge, who has offered
the reward against us, is at the Admiralty.”
“It was to Troubridge he betrayed his two friends at Dover, and had we not rescued them from their cells, their
necks would have been stretched. He knows that the irate old Admiral will have his face saved if he can discover
our secret harbour in France, for we have fooled the old sea-dog too much in the past. So, Mipps, we will land and
run our cargo as usual, and them make for the hidden stable. I shall be on my way to London before dawn, and at
least far enough from the locality where Gehenna’s magnificence might be recognized. You will follow by coach,
catching the mail from Ashford. I will carry you as far, and drop you before dawn. Meanwhile our men must search
for news of Handgrove. They must make enquiries as far as Hastings. If his boat has not arrive, then we have time
to prevent Handgrove’s interview with the Admiral.”
“Aye, sir,” replied Mipps, “and that will take him time. Didn’t Captain Blain tell us the other day at the
Vicarage, when he was dining with you, how difficult it was to get things settled quick-like at the Admiralty? We’ll
get time, with luck.”
Before Mipps left his master to take over the watch, they discussed their plans in full detail. Mipps raised two
objections.
“Even to save time, Vicar,” he said, “it’s madness for Doctor Syn to ride Gehenna. The Scarecrow’s horse
should never be associated with you. Gehenna must attract attention. An animal in a thousand. Even by riding on
the secluded road, as you must, someone is sure to notice you.”
Doctor Syn shook his head. “I cannot borro w from the Squire’s stable because I am believed to be in Rye.
Besides, he has nothing so fast or so strong as Gehenna. And certainly if I were to take side lanes and bridle paths, I
should be noticed, as you say. No, I shall drop you at Ashford before dawn and then ride up on the Dover road. It
will be faster going, and the turnpike keepers are well used to fast-mounted messengers riding on the King’s
business between Dover and London. And there is one man I can trust to hide Gehenna in the city. The landlord of
the Mitre Inn will see to him. Is he not one of our biggest receivers? He would only put a rope round the his neck if
he betrayed us. Besides, old Bubukles makes too much profit from us to do any such piece of stupidity. Any by the
way, Mipps, I have always found that the truth is safer than a lie. In case the Squire takes it into his head to ride
over to the Mermaid Inn at Rye to visit me, as he sometimes does, you will leave a letter for him at the Ashford
coaching office for the down mail. I will write it now, telling him that I have to visit the Archbishop at Lambeth.
Fortunately His grace is there, and I shall make the confirmation candidates at Rye my excuse for being in London.
Now help me to finish this bottle and then on deck with you. I know that you can snatch some sleep upon the
coach.”
The bottle finished, Mipps left his master chuckling over his letter to the Squire of Dymchurch.
Now Captain Blain, billeted at the Vicarage as the guest of Doctor Syn, was most anxious to see his host come
back from Rye, since during the night of his departure he had been awakened by the noise of horsemen. Cautiously
peering through the shutters, he had seen the Scarecrow himself, with some half-dozen Nightriders. He had seen
one of them dismount and write with a piece of chalk upon the stable door. Determining if possible to wing the
Scarecrow, he had crossed to his bed to snatch his loaded pistol from under the pillow, but as he returned to open the
shutters and the casement a shot had struck one of the diamond-shaped panes, and by the time he had recovered
from his rage and his surprise, he saw the Phantom Horseman riding away into the Marsh. Groping his way
downstairs, he had found a lantern and had gone out to examine the writing upon the stable door. Signed with the
Crude sketch of a Scarecrow, the chalk message read, “Friday, low, tide.”
He was glad he had crept from the house, because the next morning the chalk message had disappeared. So upon
that Tuesday he told the Bos’n that the men would have no night duty till Friday. Clever as he had proved himself,
Captain Blain never suspected that the message had been written for his benefit, and his alone. Anyway there were
no revenue men out upon the Tuesday night when the lugger ran ashore at Littlestone, was met by the
Highwayman, impersonating the Scarecrow, and all the valuable cargo of good brandy was landed safely and carried
across the Marsh on pack-ponies to the ‘hides’ upon Lympne Hill.
Half an hour after the last keg had been safely stowed, and the pack-ponies had been dispersed to their various
stables, Gehenna the Scarecrow’s famous horse, was being saddled by Jimmie Bone, the Highwayman, in the secret
underground stable, adjacent to Old Mother Handaway’s hovel and farmyard, in the lonely centre of the Marshland.
The Scarecrow changed from his fantastic rage into the elegant black clericals of Doctor Syn. Hellspite similarly
became once more the respectably dressed servant, Mipps, who had helped the Highwayman to attack loaded