This was as Carson had arranged, and nothing could have been better, for the five of us fired almost at once, and so unexpected a volley would, I should think, have disconcerted a Napoleon himself.
No one fell, and, without so much as a cry, the four thieves scattered and ran straight for the combe—with the innkeeper pelting behind. Two of them fouled the gutter and fell to glory, but, perhaps because they had run into the moonlight, they were not content to lie, and, picking themselves up, rushed violently after their fellows down the slope, like the Gadarene swine. This much I saw, for I had run along by the edge of the wood, and I sent a shot after them, before hastening to the well.
The seat was not on the hook, but only a bight of rope, so that, had I not seen him run, I should have thought that the innkeeper was ready to drop with fatigue: but we had the seat slung in a twinkling, and Carson and Rowley lowered it into the well.
I must confess that I waited in fear and trembling for I knew that the water must have risen a foot or more, and the thought that the landlord had emerged alive from the well filled me with the gravest misgivings for Mansel’s safety. I was also quite sure that the thieves would presently return, when, if we had not raised Mansel, we should present to them as fair a target as they had offered us, and the likelihood that they would bungle a second and better chance seemed small indeed.
When the seat was nearly down, Hanbury took hold of the signal cord and swung the biscuit-tin, and a moment later, to our indescribable relief, the spring struck once upon the beam. At once we locked the windlass: and, in an instant, another two blows gave us the signal to hoist.
Then we all five fell upon the windlass, and brought Mansel up with a run, and, only waiting to take up the searchlight, the seat, the measuring-line and the bell, we left the meadow in good order, with Carson, rifle in hand, bringing up the rear.
Two minutes later we were within the house, where Tester greeted Mansel as though in fact he knew that he was risen from the dead.
Here I will say what I should have set down before, namely, that the walls of the kitchen-quarters were immensely thick, and must have formed part of the castle which was burned down. The windows were high above ground and heavily barred, and, since we had hung up curtains some distance away from the frames, neither by day nor night could anyone from without see into the rooms.
Then supper was served, and Mansel and Bell and I told each his tale.
Bell had little to add to what I now knew: but one thing that he said we all found interesting, and that was that the second attack had undoubtedly come from the south, that is to say, from the combe into which we had packed the thieves, “for,” said Bell, “although the alarm bell went, it went but once, and I think it was rung by one man coming up from the west: but, when the innkeeper’s party took to their heels, they ran north by the path through the woods and past the house: and, since I am sure that was not how they had come, they must have done so because they were driven that way.”
Only when all had been said, did I remember Job.
When I spoke of him, Carson smiled.
“I heard what Rose Noble said, sir, so it was hardly fair. He said ‘Back to the path, and watch,’ so I did as he said.”
“I hope you didn’t kill him,” said Mansel.
“Oh, no, sir,” said Carson, Then he hesitated. “I was going to ask you, sir—supposing it had been Rose Noble … ?”
Mansel shook his head.
“Certainly not,” he said. “And here let me say you can all of you thank your stars that you’re such bad shots. I don’t wish to sound ungrateful, but, unless I’m being tortured, you must leave these volleys alone. That’s the way people get hurt. Except in the last resort, you are never to fire to hit. That is the handicap or disadvantage of—”
As Tester growled, some object parted the curtains, and fell clean on to a loose cushion which belonged to the Rolls.
The terrier leapt at it, but, before I could think, Mansel had sent him flying and, with a great cry of “Down!” had hurled the thing into the kitchen and fallen upon his face.
The next instant a most frightful explosion shook the house, which I verily thought was coming about our ears; for the lights went out and the whole of the plaster of the ceiling in the servants’ hall fell down on our heads; and, what with the concussion and the dust and the tinkle of falling glass and the sudden return of the pain in the back of my head, my wits very nearly left me, and, when I heard Mansel speaking, he seemed to be a great way off.
“Is anyone hurt?” he said, and called the roll.
Mercifully, no one was touched, for we had been all six in the servants’ hall: and, when he called Tester, I heard the dog rush in answer to lick his face.
“That was a bomb,” said Hanbury dazedly.
“That was a bomb,” said Mansel. “And now I withdraw what I said a moment
