The girl repeated her awful announcement. The captain sprang out of
bed, dressed himself in trousers and dressing-gown, and ran down-
stairs, the girl close behind him.
They were just in time to see the figure, in the red head-gear and long
grey dressing-gown, slowly stalking from the scullery door.
The captain followed the phantom into the garden; but held himself at a
respectful distance from the figure, as it slowly paced along the
smooth gravel pathway leading towards the laurel hedge.
The figure reached the low boundary that divided the garden from the
river bank, crossed it, and vanished amongst the thick white mists that
rose from the water.
Joseph Duncombe trembled. A ghost was just the one thing which could
strike terror to the seaman's bold heart.
When the figure had vanished, Captain Duncombe went to the spot where
it had passed out of the garden.
Here he found the young laurels beaten and trampled down, as if by the
heavy feet of human intruders.
This was strange.
He then went to the kitchen, accompanied by Susan Trott, who, although
shivering like an aspen tree, had just sufficient strength of mind to
find a lucifer and light her candle.
By the light of this candle Captain Buncombe examined the kitchen.
On the hearth, at his feet, he saw something gleaming in the uncertain
light. He stooped to pick up this object, and found that it was a
curious gold coin--a foreign coin, bent in a peculiar manner.
Pages:
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322