Part 49 (1/2)

”I thowt I heard a step!” the Master cried, peering down. But nothing could he see.

Then the wind leaped to life again like a giant from his sleep, drowning all sound with its hurricane voice; and they turned and bent to their task again.

Nearing the summit, the Master turned once more.

”There it was again!” he called; but his words were swept away on the storm; and they buckled to the struggle afresh.

Ever and anon the moon gleamed down through the riot of tossing sky.

Then they could see the wet wall above them, with the water tumbling down its sheer face; and far below, in the roaring gutter of the Pa.s.s a brown-stained torrent. Hardly, however, had they time to glance around when a ma.s.s of cloud would hurry jealously up, and all again was blackness and noise.

At length, nigh spent, they topped the last and steepest pitch of the Pa.s.s, and emerged into the Devil's Bowl. There, overcome with their exertions, they flung themselves on to the soaking ground to draw breath.

Behind them, the wind rushed with a sullen roar up the funnel of the Pa.s.s. It screamed above them as though ten million devils were a-horse; and blurted out on to the wild Marches beyond.

As they lay there, still panting, the moon gleamed down in momentary graciousness. In front, through the las.h.i.+ng rain, they could discern the hillocks that squat, hag-like, round the Devil's Bowl; and lying in its bosom, its white waters, usually so still, ploughed now into a thousand furrows, the Lone Tarn.

The Master raised his head and craned forward at the ghostly scene. Of a sudden he reared himself on to his arms, and stayed motionless awhile.

Then he dropped as though dead, forcing down Andrew with an iron hand.

”Lad, did'st see?” he whispered.

”Nay; what was't?” the boy replied, roused by his father's tone.

”There!”

But as the Master pointed forward, a blur of cloud intervened and all was dark. Quickly it pa.s.sed; and again the lantern of the night shone down. And Andrew, looking with all his eyes, saw indeed.

There, in front, by the fretting waters of the Tarn, packed in a solid phalanx, with every head turned in the same direction, was a flock of sheep. They were motionless, all-intent, staring with horror-bulging eyes. A column of steam rose from their bodies into the rain-pierced air. Panting and palpitating, yet they stood with their backs to the water, as though determined to sell their lives dearly. Beyond them, not fifty yards away, crouched a humpbacked boulder, casting a long, misshapen shadow in the moonlight. And beneath it were two black objects, one still struggling feebly.

”The Killer!” gasped the boy, and, all ablaze with excitement, began forging forward.

”Steady, lad, steady!” urged his father, dropping a restraining hand on the boy's shoulder.

Above them a huddle of clouds flung in furious rout across the night, and the moon was veiled.

”Follow, lad!” ordered the Master, and began to crawl silently forward.

As stealthily Andrew pursued. And over the sodden ground they crept, one behind the other, like two' night-hawks on some foul errand.

On they crawled, lying p.r.o.ne during the blinks of moon, stealing forward in the dark; till, at length, the swish of the rain on the waters of the Tarn, and the sobbing of the flock in front, warned them they were near.

They skirted the trembling pack, pa.s.sing so close as to brush against the flanking sheep; and yet unnoticed, for the sheep were soul-absorbed in the tragedy in front. Only, when the moon was in, Andrew could hear them huddling and stamping in the darkness. And again, as it shone out, fearfully they edged closer to watch the b.l.o.o.d.y play.

Along the Tarn edge the two crept. And still the gracious moon hid their approach, and the drunken wind drowned with its revelry the sound of their coming.

So they stole on, on hands and knees, with hearts aghast and fluttering breath; until, of a sudden, in a lull of wind, they could hear, right before them, the smack and s...o...b..r of b.l.o.o.d.y lips, chewing their b.l.o.o.d.y meal.

”Say thy prayers, Red Wull. Thy last minute's come!” muttered the Master, rising to his knees. Then, in Andrew's ear: ”When I rush, lad, follow!” For he thought, when the moon rose, to jump in on the great dog, and, surprising him as he lay gorged and unsuspicious, to deal him one terrible swas.h.i.+ng blow, and end forever the lawless doings of the Tailless Tyke.