AT MIDNIGHT. 223 
them, circuitously, to the foot of a wood-crowned 
knoll which stood out into the night in dark relief 
against the paler tops of dusky greenwood around 
and below it. He would also have noticed that 
the knoll in question could be approached by a 
nearer route which led across an open strip of 
gorse and heather-dotted turf. Had curiosity in- 
duced him to cross this strip of turf, he would 
have been startled, on approaching the base of the 
knoll, to see other stealthy forms than those of 
the ghostly wanderers from Loughton leaving 
the road and disappearing into the upland 
copse. 
Let us leave our wayfarer, who stands in the 
shadow of a clump of gorse, gazing, fearfully, at 
the double mystery which puzzles him, and follow 
the strange figures which have just entered the 
copse, and are now climbing the knoll. There 
are at least a score of them. Their garb is rough, 
and their faces, judging them as well as the dim 
light of the moon will permit, are fierce and 
determined. As we near them the reflected 
moon-rays flash suspiciously from something 
which each one carries in his hand. Not a 
