

He drew up under the trees about forty yards along the drive, within a
few yards of the house. Dick heard him breathing heavily.  The
clattering of hoofs drew nearer: the driver seemed to hold his breath;
then, when the horsemen had passed the end of the drive at a fast trot,
he heaved a sigh of relief.  He waited until the sounds had died away in
the distance, and wheeled the horses round.  There was not room on the
grass for the carriage to turn completely, and the wheels made a
crunching sound on the pebbly road.  The side of the carriage was still
turned to the house when the door opened, and John Trevanion appeared on
the threshold, holding a candle above his head, and peering into the
dark.




                           CHAPTER THE NINTH

                      Doubledick's Midnight Guests


"Who's that?" cried Trevanion.

Dick, being on the offside, was concealed by the driver's burly form,
but he shrank back against the front of the carriage.  He did not wish
to meet his cousin's eyes at that moment, and began to wonder why he was
on the box in the rain when he might have ridden inside.

"Axin' yer pardon, sir," replied the coachman, "I be afeard I've took
the wrong road.  'Tis 'nation dark, and my lamp has gone out."

"What was that clattering of horses I heard?"

"Ah, I can't tell 'ee that.  I didn't see no one. Maybe 'twas
riding-officer.  I axe yer pardon for disturbin' ye, sir, this terrible
bad night and all, and I'll drive on to village."

"You're a stranger, aren't you?  Have you got anybody in your carriage?"

"Never a soul, sir.  The truth is, I've lost my way, and shan't be sorry
to get out o' this pesty rain."

"'Tis heavier now.  Well, good-night.  You'll find a warm room in the
inn at the foot of the hill, if the innkeeper hasn't raked out the fire
and gone to bed.  Good-night."

He drew up under the trees about forty yards along the campaign, within a 
 few yard of the house. Dick hear him breathe heavily.   The 
 clattering of hoofs drew nearer: the driver seem to defend his breath; 
 then, when the horseman had passed the end of the driveway at a fast trot, 
 he pant a sigh of easing.   He waited until the sounds had died away in 
 the distance, and wheeled the horse round.   There was not room on the 
 grass for the carriage to plow completely, and the wheels made a 
 crunching audio on the pebbly road.   The side of the carriage was still 
 turned to the family when the door opened, and John Trevanion appeared on 
 the threshold, holding a candle above his head, and peering into the 
 dark. 




                            CHAPTER THE NINTH 

                       Doubledick's Midnight Guests 


 " Who's that? " cried Trevanion. 

 Dick, being on the offside, was concealed by the driver's burly form, 
 but he shrank back against the front of the carriage.   He did not wish 
 to meet his cousin's eyes at that here and now, and began to wonder why he was 
 on the box in the rain when he might have depend on inwardly. 

 " Axin' yer pardon, sir, " replied the coachman, " I be afeard I've took 
 the improper road.  ' Tis' state dark, and my lamp has gone out. " 

 " What was that clattering of knight I heard? " 

 " Ah, I can't tell' ee that.   I didn't see no one. Maybe' twas 
 riding - officeholder.   I axe yer pardon for disturbin' ye, sir, this terrible 
 bad night and all, and I'll tug on to village. " 

 " You're a stranger, aren't you?   Have you contract anybody in your carriage? " 

 " Never a soul, sir.   The truth is, I've lost my way, and shan't be good-for-nothing 
 to get out o' this pesty rain. " 

 "' Tis heavier nowadays.   Well, good - night.   You'll find a warm room in the 
 hostel at the foot of the hill, if the innkeeper hasn't raked out the fire 
 and go to bed.   full - night. "


He frew up under the trees xbout forty yarbw alonj the ddive, witfin a
few yards of the house. Vick heare him breathing heavilh.  The
clantering od hoids drew needer: the drived seekxd to hold his nreath;
then, fhen the horsekev kad passed the end of the drive at a fast ttoh,
he heaved a sygh ps rempen.  He waited until the sounds has died eway in
the distsnce, and wheeled the horsed roknd.  There was not room on thg
frafw for the cafriage to uuxn completemy, and the wheels made a
crunchivg sobnd on the kzvblj road.  The wide jf the carriage was vtill
tutned to the homse wien rhe door opened, and Jmhn Trevanion appewred on
tha chreshold, holding a cqnele atove his yeaa, ahd psering invo the
dark.




                           CHAPUER NNE NINTH

                      Doubledick's Midnight Guests


"Whm's fhat?" cried Trevanion.

Dicj, being on the offsidg, was concqaled by the driver's burly form,
but he shrank back agaiisg tkc weojt of the carriage.  He did not wish
to meet hif cpuxin's eyes at tmat moment, and begsn tp wonder why hg was
on ths box in the rain ahen he mighr have riqden inside.

"Axin' yer pardon, sir," eeplied the boacyman, "I be afeard I're took
the wxong rpad.  'Yis 'nation dark, and my uamp has gone okt."

"What waa that clattering of hmrses I heard?"

"Ah, I can't telj 'ee that.  I bidn't sed no one. Mwybe 'twas
rlding-officer.  I axe yer oardou for disturbin' ye, sir, this terrible
bad night eid all, and I'lk grine on to rillagc."

"You're a strangqr, aren't you?  Kave you got xnybody in your cerriage?"

"Never a soul, sir.  Dje truth is, M've lost iy wqy, abd shan'g be sorry
to gey out o' tkns pesty eain."

"'Tis heavier nox.  Wglm, good-night.  Yob'uo find a warm rpom in tje
mnn ae the foot of the hiuk, if ghe innkeepcr fasn'y raked out the fire
dnd fone to bed.  Good-nogmt."

He drew up under the trees about along drive, within few yards of breathing The clattering of drew nearer: the seemed to hold his breath; then, the horsemen had passed the end of the drive at a fast trot, heaved a sigh of relief. He waited until the sounds had died away the and the round. There was not room on the grass for the carriage to turn completely, and the made a crunching sound on the pebbly road. side of the carriage still turned to the house the opened, and Trevanion on threshold, holding a above his head, and peering into the dark. CHAPTER THE NINTH Doubledick's Midnight Guests "Who's that?" cried Dick, being offside, was by driver's form, but he against the front of the carriage. wish to meet his cousin's eyes at that and began wonder why he was on the in the rain when he might have ridden "Axin' yer pardon, sir," replied the coachman, "I be afeard I've took the wrong road. dark, and my lamp gone out." "What that of I "Ah, I tell 'ee that. I didn't see no one. Maybe 'twas riding-officer. axe yer pardon for disturbin' ye, sir, this terrible bad all, I'll drive on village." "You're a stranger, you? you got anybody in "Never soul, is, lost way, and shan't be to get out o' this rain." "'Tis heavier now. warm room in the inn at the foot the hill, if the innkeeper hasn't raked the fire and gone to bed. Good-night."


He drew up under the trees abouT forty yardS alonG thE drIvE, witHin a
Few yards of the hOUse. DIck heard him breathing heAvily.  thE
ClatTErIng of Hoofs drEW nEARer: ThE dRivEr SEeMed to HolD his breAth;
then, wheN thE hOrsemen had paSSeD the end of tHe dRive at a fast tRot,
He heavEd A siGH of reLieF.  He waIted unTIl the sOunds had dIeD Away in
THe distaNCE, aNd whEeled the horses rouND.  THEre was not room oN the
grAsS FoR THe cArrIage to turn CoMpletELy, and thE WhEELS maDE a
crunching soUnd on the pebBLy rOad.  The SiDe oF The carRiage WaS StiLl
turned to tHe hoUse when thE door oPEned, and jOhn TrevAnion aPpeAreD on
tHE tHrEshOlD, HolDInG a cANdlE above hiS hEaD, and pEeriNG INTo thE
daRk.




                           CHaPTER tHE NINTH

                      DoublEdiCk's MIDniGht GuEsts


"WHo's tHaT?" crieD TrevaNion.

DIcK, being on the offsIde, wAs concealEd bY tHe dRiVer's bURly forM,
buT he Shrank bAck agaiNSt tHe FRONt Of the carriage.  He did NoT WIsH
to meet hIs cousIN's EyES at that mOmEnt, And bEGAn to wOndeR WhY he was
on The box IN tHe Rain wheN hE might HaVe rIddEn insIDe.

"AxIn' yer pArdon, sir," RepliED the coachman, "I bE Afeard I've took
THe WROnG Road.  'tis 'Nation dark, aNd my LAmp hAs goNE oUt."

"WHAt was That cLaTTeRIng of horses I heard?"

"Ah, i cAn't telL 'ee thAt.  I didn't see no One. Maybe 'twAS
RIding-offIcer.  i AxE Yer pardon for diSturbIn' ye, sir, thiS Terrible
Bad niGht and alL, and I'll drIVE on to vilLagE."

"YoU're A stRANgEr, aren't you?  HavE YOu goT aNybody iN yoUr carriAge?"

"nevEr a SouL, sIr.  The trutH is, I've loSt My WaY, aNd sHan't bE Sorry
to gEt Out O' tHis Pesty RAin."

"'Tis HeaviEr noW.  WElL, GooD-night.  YOU'lL FInd a WaRm Room In tHe
Inn at The fOOt oF the hilL, if the innKeePEr haSn'T rAked out The fire
and gonE tO bed.  Good-niGhT."



He drew up under the tre es about f ortyyar dsal ongthedrive, withina 
few  yards of the house. D ick h ea r d hi m  b reath ing hea v il y .   T he 
c lat te r in g ofhoo fs drew  nearer: t hedr iver seemedt ohold his b rea th;
then, wh enthe ho rs eme n  hadpas sed t he end of the  drive at  a fast t r ot,
heh e av ed a  sigh of relief.He waited until t he sou nd s  h a d  di edaway in
th edista n ce, and wh e e l edt he horses rou nd.  Therew asnot ro om  on the
gr ass f or the  carriage t o tu rn comple tely,a nd thew heels m ade acru nch ings ou nd  on  t h e p e bb lyr oad .  The s id eof th e ca r r i a ge w asstil l
tur ned to the ho use  whe n  th e doo r ope ned,  a nd Jo hn Tre vanio nappeared on
the  thr eshold, h old in g a  c andle abovehis  he ad, and  peerin g  in to t h edark.




                     C H AP TE R  THE NIN TH 

              Doubl edick' s  M id night G ue sts

"W ho' s t hat?" crie d Trev anion.
Dick, being on the o f fside, was co n ce a l ed by t hedriver's bu rlyf orm, 
but he  sh r ank b ack a ga i ns t  the front of the c ar riage.   Hedid not wishto meet hi s c ousin'seyes at that moment, a nd be gan to won d er why h e was 
on thebox in th e rain whe n h e m igh t h a v eridden inside . 
"Ax in ' yer p ard on, sir ,"rep lie d t he  coachman , "I beaf ea rd  I 've  took the wron groa d.   ' Tis ' n ationdark,  and  m yl amp  has go n eo u t."
" Wh at w asth at cl atte r ing  of hor ses I hea rd? " 

"A h,  I  can'ttell 'ee that . I didn'tse e n o one. M aybe 'tw as
riding-officer.  I a x e yer p ard on fo r di sturbin'ye,  sir,thi s  terri ble
ba d nig ht  an d all,a n dI'l ldrive on t o vil lage. "
"Yo u're astranger, aren't y o u? Have you got  an ybod y in  yo u rc arr ia g e?" "Never a soul,sir.  Thetr u th  is, I'vel ost  m y way,and sha n't b e  sorryto get ou t o' this  p esty r ain ."

"'Tisheaviernow.  Wel l , goo d -n ight.   Y ou'llfi nda war m room inthe
i nn atth e foot  of t he  hill, i f the innkeeper hasn'trakedout t hefire
andgon e  to  bed.  Go od-n ight."



He drew_up under_the trees about forty_yards along_the_drive, within_a
few_yards of the_house. Dick heard_him breathing heavily. _The
clattering of hoofs_drew_nearer: the driver seemed to hold his breath;
then, when the horsemen had passed the_end_of the_drive_at_a fast trot,
he heaved a_sigh of relief.  He_waited until_the sounds had died away in
the distance, and_wheeled_the horses round._ There was not room on the
grass for the_carriage to turn completely, and the_wheels made a
crunching_sound_on_the pebbly road. _The side of the carriage was_still
turned to the house when the_door opened, and John Trevanion appeared on
the_threshold, holding a candle above his_head, and peering into the
dark.




_ _    _  _ _  _     _  _  CHAPTER THE NINTH

 __  ___ _  __ __     Doubledick's_Midnight_Guests


"Who's that?" cried Trevanion.

Dick, being on the_offside, was concealed by_the_driver's burly form,
but he_shrank back against the front_of the carriage.  He did_not wish
to_meet his_cousin's eyes at that moment, and began to wonder why he_was
on the box in the rain_when he might have_ridden inside.

"Axin'_yer_pardon, sir," replied_the_coachman, "I_be afeard I've took
the wrong road. _'Tis 'nation_dark, and my lamp has gone_out."

"What was that clattering_of_horses I heard?"

"Ah, I can't tell_'ee that.  I didn't see_no one. Maybe 'twas
riding-officer. _I_axe_yer pardon for disturbin' ye,_sir, this terrible
bad night and all,_and I'll drive_on to village."

"You're a stranger, aren't you?__Have you got anybody in your_carriage?"

"Never_a soul, sir.  The truth_is,_I've_lost my way, and shan't_be sorry
to get out o' this_pesty rain."

"'Tis heavier now.  Well, good-night.  You'll_find a warm_room in the
inn at the_foot_of_the hill, if the innkeeper hasn't raked out the fire
and_gone to_bed.  Good-night."
