Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-08-22
CHATTER XN
THE ADVENTURE OF THE LEDGE.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE LEDGE
We had some ado to find the gate but no
sooner were through, and upon the high
road, than | dashed the horses up the hill at u
gallop. To guide us between the dark hedges
we had only one lantern and the glare ahead
| The dishes and the cups clashed and ratified
as the hearse bumped in the ruts, swayiug
wildly; dozen times Matt was near being
| pitched clean out Of his seat. With my legs
planted firm, logged away like a mailman,
| and like mad creatures the Yorses tore up
! ward
| On the summit glance showed US all--ths
wild, crimsoned sky-the sea running with
| lines of ire-and against 1t the inky head
land whereon the House OF Cleys flared like
! beacon. Already from one wing-our wing
leaping column OF flame whirled up through
the roof, and was swept seward in smoke
and spas;s. | marked the coast line, the cfP
tracks the masts and hull of the Godsend
standing out clear as day; and nearer, the
yellow light pickering over the fields Of young
corn. We saw all this and then vera jlung-
ing down hill, with the blaze fun ahead of us.
The heavy reek Of it was flung in our nostrils
we gailoped.
At the bottom we caught up a group OF
men running Twas a boatload come from
the ship to help. As our horses swept past
! them one or two came to a terrified halt but
presently were running hard again after US
The great gate stood open. drove straight
into the bright lit yard, shouEug, "Deiial
where is DeliaN
"Herem called a voice; and from a group
that stood under the glare of the window
came my dear mistress running.
"All safe, Jack! But what She drew
back from our strange equipage.
"All in good time. First tell mellow
came the firep
"Why, foul work, as it seems. All know
is 1 was sleeping and awoke to hear the black
seaman hammering on my door. Jumping
up, l found the soom full of smoke, and es-
capped. The roous beneath, they say, were
stuffed with straw, and the yard outside
heaped also with straw, and blazing. Ben
Halliday found two oil jars lying there"-
Are the horses outf'
ooh, Jack-I do not knowl Shame on ms
to forget them
ran towards the stable Already the roof
was ablaze, and the straw yard beyond,
very furnace Rushing in | found the two
horses covering in their stalls, bathcd ia
sweat, and squealing But twas all fright.
So fetched Mollys saddle and spoke to her,
and set it across her back, and the sweet
thing was quiet in moment, turning her
head to rub my sleeve gently with her muz-
ye, and followed me out like q lamb. The
bay gave more trouble, but / soothed him in
che same manner, and, pattlng his neck, led
MIN, too, into safety.
had fastened the horses by the gate and
was ready to join in the work when a shout
was raised:
"Bny! Where's Billy Pottery: Has any
seen the skipper
Sure l called, you don't say he was
never alarmedw
"Blac1 Sampson was in his room-where's
Black Sampson
Here I hen cried voice. "To be sure
woke the skipper before any o ye.'
Then where's he hid' Did any see him
come out"
Now, that we have not" answered one or
two.
stood by the house door shouting these
questions to the men inside, when a hand WIS
laid on my arm, and there in the shadow
waited Billy himself, with a mighty curious
twinkle in his eye. IIo put finger up and
signed that should follow.
We passed round the outbuildings where
three hours before, Matt Soames and had
hid together. I was minded 10 stop and pull
on my boots, that We're hid here; but and
this was afterwards the saving Of me- on
/ second thought let them lie, and followed
Billy, who now led me out the postern gate.
Without speech we stepped across tho turf,
be pace or two ahead. night breeze was
blowing here delicious after the heat Of the
fire We were walking quickly towards the
east side of the headland, and soon the blaze
behind flung our shadows right TO the cliff 5
edge, for which Billy made straight, as if to
l fling himself over.
But when, at the very verge, he pulled up,
, | became enlightened At our feet was an
iron bar driven into the soil, and to it a stout
rope knotted, that ran over block and dis
appeared down the cliff. knelt, and, pull
t ing at it softly, looked up. 1t came easy i'll
the hand.
: Billy, with the glare in his face, noddedl
and, bending to my eur, for once achieved a
!, whisper.
saw one stealing lutheran followed, A
D man wi limp foot-went over the side like
o Il cat"
: must have appeared to doubt this good
\ fortune, for he added
: "Be a truth speakin' man i the main, Jack
, lay over pom my belly, and spied ledge
a fifty feet down or less-reckon there be a
| way thence to the foot. Dear, nowi what a
u rampin', tearin' sweat is this!'
- For, as fast as could tug, was hauling W
@ the rope Nearly sixty feet came up before
+, l reached the end--a thick twisted knot.
= rove a long moose pulled it over my head anc
n shoulders and made Billy understand he wa
4 TO lower me-
Ii sit i the moose, lad, an hold round the
a knot. For sign to hoist again, tug the rop,
!, hard. can hold
y He paid it out carefully while l stepped t.
n the edge With the moose around my loiu
Il thrust myself gently over, and in a tric
d hung swaying.
On three sides the sky comprised me-wil,
10 and red, save where to eastward the dawl
p was paling; on the fourth the dark rock,
Il face seemed gliding upward as Billy lowered
% Far below heard the wash Of the sea, an,
d could Just spy the white spume Of it Glmmer
H. ing. 1t stole some of the heart out OF ne
1t and took my eyes of il.
is Some feet below the top, the cliff fetched
y, slant inward, so that danRled full thre
"A feet out from tho face. As boy | had al
e, ventured something Of this sort ON the mort
W sides Of Gable and the Pillar, and once ,afte
Ut a nest of eaglete) on the Mickledore ellis; bu
10 then twas daylight, Now, though saw III
ledge under me, about a third of tho wa