Two days later, Doctor Syn rose early, mounted his white pony, and accompanied by Mipps, mounted upon the churchyard donkey, was by noon being challenged by the Dover sentries. Owing to the fact that the cavalry had suddenly been billeted upon the infantry garrison at the Castle, a good deal of confusion and congestion was the result, and no one seemed to know where one authority ended and the other began.
Thus it was that Doctor Syn was kept a considerable time before permission was gained for him to enter the presence of the General, and in a mild way he complained of this treatment as he shook hands with old Troubridge. “I am a busy man, General, and I came at some inconvenience entirely out of service to you. In short, sir, I was very distressed to hear of your misfortune with that audacious highwayman, and was the more determined to do the little in my power to rectify your loss. In this I have been successful. I have recovered your property. Watches, purses and papers. It only needs for you to identify them.” Saying which, Doctor Syn produced the various articles and spread them out before the delighted officer.
“But how did you accomplish this, in heaven's name?” he asked.
“Well, it was just that, you see. In heaven's name, and none else. I wrestled with the sinner's conscience in heaven's name, and so prevailed.”
“You mean that you confronted this highwayman yourself?” asked the General.
The parson shook his head. “I could hardly do that, since I had no idea where to find him. But I did happen to know a woman of the Marsh with whom he has been keeping company. I visited her. I reasoned with her, and at last, on a sacred promise from me that I would not divulge her name, she confessed that this notorious and wicked highwayman had made her a gift of your property.
The woman I do not find it in my heart to blame. She has got into the company of wicked men.”
“Well, we'll not ask you her name, since you gave your word not to betray her,” said the General largely.
“But there is something else which I discovered,” went on the parson, “and for that I gave no pledge of secrecy. Indeed my conscience rather tells me that I should tell you. On leaving this woman's sick-bed, I happened to overhear a conversation between some men below stairs who were not aware that I was in the house. In brief, sir, the robbing of your papers has informed the smugglers that you know the intended headquarters of the Scarecrow during the 'run' of contraband planned apparently for next Thursday. How you knew about this 'run' I do not ask. It is no business of mine.”
“But I'll tell you. And very simple too,” laughed the General. “I got in touch with a certain man whom I strongly suspect has been a smuggler himself. On the promise of a fifty-guinea purse with King's protection, he offered to betray this Scarecrow, which he did, telling me that his headquarters are to be at a spot called Walland's Barn.”
“Ah,” sighed the parson, “but you see that is all changed. The Scarecrow will now use a lonely house on the Hythe road called Cade's Farm. You could take him there. I can show you the exact spot upon the map. He will be there, I have heard, between two and three in the morning.” The General beamed at the parson. “I am greatly indebted to you, sir.”
“We shall be greatly indebted to you, sir, for ridding our Marshes of such a scoundrel,” he replied.
“Ah, well,” boasted the General, “I pay my debts, and I owe this rascal a revenge. As for this 'run' on Thursday, why, they may land every keg and barrel for aught I shall interfere. No, sir. Neither shot nor man will I spare on Customs business save to put a halter round the man's neck who dared to make a fool of me when I was Colonel of Dragoons.”
“That would be my advice, sir,” replied the parson. “Let the 'run' go forward uninterrupted, so that you can stop further smuggling by getting the Scarecrow.”
“And by your help I'll do it, reverend sir; and once I have him here— But come with me, and I'll show you where I mean to house him till I hang him.”
The General led Doctor Syn to the top of the Castle, and flinging open a door, showed him a large bare room with a great window devoid of any glass.
“This will be the Scarecrow's prison, sir,” he said.
“Those iron bars are very wide,” remarked the Doctor. “A thin man might well squeeze through them.” The General laughed. “It would but save the hangman. Look for yourself.” Doctor Syn climbed on to the window-sill and peered down through the bars. “What a height!” he shivered. “Never had a head for them. I sometimes get the vertigo in a lofty pulpit.”
“It would be an unpleasant drop, certainly,” said the officer. “Nasty cobblestones below. I shall post a sentry there, and one outside this door. He'll have the key, and will look in every half-hour, as there's no peep-hole, just to make sure the prisoner is safe.”
Back in the General's quarters, the pompous soldier again thanked the doctor for his loyal services, and asked if there were anything he could do in return.
“Well, yes,” hesitated Doctor Syn. “I should like to visit the Scarecrow immediately he is caught. I am somewhat successful in calling sinners to repentance. But really, General, even now I have no great faith that we shall catch him.”
“Well, I have,” returned the General, “and to prove it to you, here is your pass on my authority. Come when you please. Call the sinner to repentance if you are so minded, though for my own part I should let him go to hell.” And so Doctor Syn left the Castle with a warrant from the General to visit the criminal known as the Scarecrow. And as Syn said to Mipps on the long ride home, “So sure is he of catching this Scarecrow that it seems a sin to disappoint him.”
“Put such ideas out of your head, sir,” urged Mipps.
“My good Mipps, it is time that the Scarecrow gained the reputation of being supernatural,” said the Vicar. “I can see my way to make it appear so.
The time has come when we must strike terror into the hearts of our followers as well as of our enemies. I do not like the thought that there is a traitor in our midst.” That night Doctor Syn once more closeted with Mipps, laid plans and gave orders, while the sexton, for the thousandth time in his life, marvelled at his master's supreme daring, which he grudgingly had to admit had never failed them.
His apprehensions were shared by every man upon the Marsh who had received orders to be “out” upon that Thursday night, especially when it became known the Dragoons had trotted in full strength through Hythe. But the grim Scarecrow on his fierce black horse, Gehenna, rode here and there, laughing at their fears and declaring that no regiment would attack his men.
However, this particular “run” was so vast, and so much money per man was at stake, that, despite their great leader's assurance, a general nervousness prevailed, which did not cease till the last vessel had put back to sea empty, and the last pack pony had reached the hills to hide its goods. Then only did it seem possible that the Scarecrow was right.
“It would have been a serious loss had such a cargo as tonight's been captured,” laughed the Scarecrow as he rode at a fast trot with Jimmie Bone beside him.
Presently he drew rein. “No nearer,” he whispered. “I'll foot the rest.
Mustn't involve you or our good horses. Do you take my Gehenna back to stable.”
“And if anything goes wrong with you,” replied the highwayman, “why, I'll storm the Castle single-handed and release you or go hang for it.”
The Scarecrow shook his head. “Things don't go wrong with me somehow.
So long as this gale continues, I am safe enough,” and handing his reins to his companion, he strode off on foot towards the trap he knew was set for him.
Some two hours later Major Faunce entered the General's sleeping quarters.
“All's well, sir. Thanks to Doctor Syn, we've got him. He's safe in the corner Tower room. A repulsive-looking devil if ever there was one. Drunk and very ribald. Sang bawdy songs and uttered blasphemy the whole way. I tell you, sir, the whole regiment was half afraid of him.”
“He'll be afraid of us in the morning,” laughed the delighted General.
