Read Online The Legend of the Phantom Highwayman by Tom McCaughren - Free Book Online
Authors: Tom McCaughren
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flowing capes.
After what seemed like an eternity, the clock downstairs chimed four times. Tapser was still sitting at the window, trying to keep his eyes open and focused on the High Road, yet knowing he was fighting a losing battle. Suddenly he sat upright and shook his head to clear the sleep from his mind. It couldnât be true, he told himself. He must be dreaming. But no, there it was! The unmistakeable outline of a horse and rider, galloping along the High Road, the riderâs cape billowing out behind him as he urged his horse on to greater speed.
Tapser rushed over to rouse Cowlick. âQuick. Quick.â
âWhatâs the matter?â mumbled Cowlick in his sleep.
âItâs the phantom highwayman, up on the High Road. Come on.â
Cowlick swung his legs out and sat on the edge of the bed. He was groggy with sleep. âIâm coming,â he said. His eyes were still closed and he put his head in his hands and yawned.
Tapser, however, was already on his way. Slipping out the back door, he paused for a moment with the idea of getting Prince. Nothing stirred, and afraid that he might wake the two sheepdogs, he hurried on up the back fields. Cowlick hadnât appeared yet, but he knew he wouldnât be far behind.
Strange as it may seem, Tapser wasnât scared as he climbed the side of the glen by the light of the moon. Had he stopped to think about it, he would have been, but the truth was he was too excited. As he scrambled up through the bushes and scrub, there was only one thing in his mind, and that was to get to the High Road with all possible speed in the hope of catching a glimpse of Hugh Rua.
When he emerged up through the ravine onto the rim of the glen, the horse and rider were nowhere to be seen. He scanned the High Road towards the glistening sea and up to the dark mass of the mountains. It was deserted. The only sounds to disturb the stillness were the waves breaking in the distance and the panting of his own breath.
He looked around for the bronze memorial, but couldnât find it. He looked back, expecting to see Cowlick any minute, and when there was no sign of him he walked along the road, ready at a momentâs notice to jump over the ditch if the phantom rider should appear again. Maybe it had just been his imagination, he thought. But no, he assured himself, he had seen it.
Pulling his jacket collar up around his neck, he kept walking until he came to a fork in the road. There he stopped and wondered if the rider had gone up left into the mountains, or right, down into the glen. Suddenly he heard voices and took cover behind the ditch. Now for the first time he wished Prince was with him. And where was Cowlick? He hoped he hadnât gone back to sleep.
Cautiously he peered over the ditch. The voices were coming from the shadows on the road down to the glen. Stealing across the road he made his way down along the back of the ditch on the far side. The voices got louder, and he could now make out a lorry parked in off the road. The men were looking at one of the wheels, and he got the impression that it had a puncture. Finally, one of them gave the wheel a kick and they all walked off down the road.
âThe smugglers!â said Tapser to himself, and when they had disappeared he climbed over the ditch and pulled himself up onto the punctured wheel. âJust as I thought,â he said. âBottles.â
Taking one, he hopped back down and unscrewed the cap. Then he put the bottle to his lips and tipped some of the liquid into his mouth. The minute he did so, he realised it was poteen, but this time he didnât get a chance to spit it out. Voices told him the men were coming back and he got such a fright that he swallowed it. The poteen seemed to burn all the way down into his stomach. Suddenly he felt nauseous. He also felt dizzy. He managed to put back the bottle and held his forehead with his hand to steady himself. The men were coming
After what seemed like an eternity, the clock downstairs chimed four times. Tapser was still sitting at the window, trying to keep his eyes open and focused on the High Road, yet knowing he was fighting a losing battle. Suddenly he sat upright and shook his head to clear the sleep from his mind. It couldnât be true, he told himself. He must be dreaming. But no, there it was! The unmistakeable outline of a horse and rider, galloping along the High Road, the riderâs cape billowing out behind him as he urged his horse on to greater speed.
Tapser rushed over to rouse Cowlick. âQuick. Quick.â
âWhatâs the matter?â mumbled Cowlick in his sleep.
âItâs the phantom highwayman, up on the High Road. Come on.â
Cowlick swung his legs out and sat on the edge of the bed. He was groggy with sleep. âIâm coming,â he said. His eyes were still closed and he put his head in his hands and yawned.
Tapser, however, was already on his way. Slipping out the back door, he paused for a moment with the idea of getting Prince. Nothing stirred, and afraid that he might wake the two sheepdogs, he hurried on up the back fields. Cowlick hadnât appeared yet, but he knew he wouldnât be far behind.
Strange as it may seem, Tapser wasnât scared as he climbed the side of the glen by the light of the moon. Had he stopped to think about it, he would have been, but the truth was he was too excited. As he scrambled up through the bushes and scrub, there was only one thing in his mind, and that was to get to the High Road with all possible speed in the hope of catching a glimpse of Hugh Rua.
When he emerged up through the ravine onto the rim of the glen, the horse and rider were nowhere to be seen. He scanned the High Road towards the glistening sea and up to the dark mass of the mountains. It was deserted. The only sounds to disturb the stillness were the waves breaking in the distance and the panting of his own breath.
He looked around for the bronze memorial, but couldnât find it. He looked back, expecting to see Cowlick any minute, and when there was no sign of him he walked along the road, ready at a momentâs notice to jump over the ditch if the phantom rider should appear again. Maybe it had just been his imagination, he thought. But no, he assured himself, he had seen it.
Pulling his jacket collar up around his neck, he kept walking until he came to a fork in the road. There he stopped and wondered if the rider had gone up left into the mountains, or right, down into the glen. Suddenly he heard voices and took cover behind the ditch. Now for the first time he wished Prince was with him. And where was Cowlick? He hoped he hadnât gone back to sleep.
Cautiously he peered over the ditch. The voices were coming from the shadows on the road down to the glen. Stealing across the road he made his way down along the back of the ditch on the far side. The voices got louder, and he could now make out a lorry parked in off the road. The men were looking at one of the wheels, and he got the impression that it had a puncture. Finally, one of them gave the wheel a kick and they all walked off down the road.
âThe smugglers!â said Tapser to himself, and when they had disappeared he climbed over the ditch and pulled himself up onto the punctured wheel. âJust as I thought,â he said. âBottles.â
Taking one, he hopped back down and unscrewed the cap. Then he put the bottle to his lips and tipped some of the liquid into his mouth. The minute he did so, he realised it was poteen, but this time he didnât get a chance to spit it out. Voices told him the men were coming back and he got such a fright that he swallowed it. The poteen seemed to burn all the way down into his stomach. Suddenly he felt nauseous. He also felt dizzy. He managed to put back the bottle and held his forehead with his hand to steady himself. The men were coming
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