Bruce Campbell Ken Holt 09 Mystery of Galloping Horse UC

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."Why? What was Clem-?"Clem's suddenly rifted hand silenced him.;GALLOPING GHOST 43"Listen!" Clem said softly.It was a rhythmic sound-a dull, swift series of thuds.It was unmistakably thePage 19ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlsound of a horse's hoofs pounding at a gallop, somewhere not far away.In thefaint damp night breeze the ghostly noise grew louder, then softer, thenlouder again.Clem's hand was still rigid, as if he had forgotten how to move.Dan's voice was a whisper."Then I wasn't dreaming," he murmured."It was thesound of a galloping horse that woke me up!"cHAjmnr? THE HIDDEN WATCHERthe sound of the galloping hoofs lasted for several minutes, rising andfalling, growing louder and then softer and then louder again.It wasimpossible to tell if the sound moved closer to them and then retreated, or ifit was always at the same distance and grew louder or softer depending on thelift and fall of the salty breeze that came in from the bay.And then the pounding gallop died to a whisper once more and was gone.For long seconds afterward they all continued to stand quiet, still listening.Clem cleared his throat suddenly and they all looked at him.But he didn'tspeak.He just looked back at them, as if awaiting their verdict."Well," Tod said finally, "it's an effective performance, all right.Ghostlyor otherwise."Dan grinned his lopsided grin."You should hear it when you're all alone-whenyou've just been waked out of a sound sleep and your imagination is going fullblast." He gave himself a vigorous shake.But the movement made him hold hishand to his head again."I was beginning to take a look around," he added,"after I'd picked myself up off the ground.I couldn't see any44THE HIDDEN WATCHER 45evidence of anybody having tampered with our stuff, but I suppose we might aswell finish the inspection now that we're all here."He flicked on his flashlight-they had all been standing in the dark-and in thesudden glow he seemed to remember something."But first," Dan said, "tell me why you all came out here and what Clem wasbeing melodramatic about." He turned to the boys."And how you two got pulledinto our backbreaking project here.""We didn't get pulled in," Ken assured him."Tod agreed to take us in out ofthe kindness of his heart."Tod answered all of Dan's questions, briefly and to the point.After aquestioning look at the boys, and their answering nod, he explained how Berthad phoned him that evening, and why the boys needed an out-of-the-way placeto stay for a while.Then he went on and recounted how Clem had aroused himfrom sleep with his tale of the galloping horse just a few moments before theboys arrived."I must admit I was pampering Clem when I agreed to come down here," Todfinished."But I wouldn't have missed the ghost for anything, though I stillcan't accept Clem's explanation that it means danger to anybody who comes nearthe creek.I think it's more likely some kids' trick.They may have heard thatit scared people years ago, and are trying their hand at it just for fun."Clem snorted."You don't think that's what it is, do you, Clem?" Dan asked."No, I can seeyou don't.Well, let's finish this inspection at any rate.We can discuss thephilosophical aspects of ghosts-and rumrunners-afterward."At his gesture they all followed him to a tumbled46 THE MYSTERY OF THE GALLOPING HORSEheap of equipment nearby.Dan rummaged in it and came up with severalflashlights, distributing one to each.Under his direction they moved out fromthe camp site, as if they were following the spokes of a wheel.Their lightsmade a flashing pattern in the darkness.Ken soon found himself at the edge of the creek- a broad, shallow body ofwater moving slowly toward the sea on an ebb tide.He flicked his light overthe surface, alive here and there with dipping insects and the occasional leapof a tiny fish, and then he turned and made his way back.None of them had seen anything strange or unusual.And there were no furtherPage 20ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlsounds of the galloping hoofs.Sandy yawned hugely as they met once more near the packing case.It set off asmall epidemic of yawns that caught Ken and both their hosts.Only Clem seemedimmune."Let's call it a night," Tod said firmly."Tomorrow morning we'll take anotherlook around-and we'll also put our heads together and try to make sense out ofthe whole business." He turned to Clem."You don't really think there's anypoint in our worrying about it any more tonight, do you, Clem?"Clem shrugged."I couldn't say.But now that I know Mr.Galen's safe-Dan, Imean-why, I don't know as I can think of anythin' more we can do now."There was a brief argument then.Dan wanted Tod to go back to the inn andsleep comfortably for what was left of the night.Tod thought Dan ought to goto the inn and leave him on guard."How can I be sure you won't knock yourselfout again?" Tod demanded.It was finally settled that both Tod and Dan would stay at the dig.Sandydrove the jeep back to the vil-THE HIDDEN WATCHER 47lage, with Ken and Clem crowded in beside him on the front seat [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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