Hooj Beats 



grasped me roughly and stopped me. Then he 

 threw back his handsome head, hand to his 

 mouth — 



"T-a-1-l-y— O! A-way!" he sang. 



His big voice made the little room reverberate 

 and the silent night without echoed and re-echoed. 



Then distinctly came the swift patter-pat 

 patter-pat of a galloping horse. Rapidly nearer 

 and nearer it drew. It passed the house. I was 

 shaking like a leaf. 



"T-ally-0!" 



Norman was holding his wife in his arms and 

 shaking too. 



"Tally-0!" 



Trotter gave us one wild glance. In a flash he 

 was out of the door. I was after him just as he 

 reached the road, in time to see him throw him- 

 self lightly across the black mare's back. He was 

 gone ! 



Norman and his wife had run out and were 

 standing by me peering into the night. With one 

 accord we climbed into the break-cart and raced 

 after him. 



"Them," I say, for none of us doubted longer. 

 Once we caught, on the down wind, Trotter's 

 long-drawn deep- throated "T-a-1-l-y — O!" 



A little later as the moon came from behind a 

 cloud spreading a pale, queerish light over every- 

 164 



