Free The Legend of the Phantom Highwayman by Tom McCaughren Page B

cramped.
    Peppi’s horse scraped the rocky ground with its hoof and threw up its head to get the remaining contents of a nosebag. Prince lay and watched Tapser as he and the others watched the valley.
    â€˜There they are,’ said Peppi suddenly. ‘Keep down.’
    â€˜Where?’ they whispered.
    â€˜Over there to the right …’
    Peppi’s eyes were sharp. It was several minutes before they could see what he had spotted. Three men were making their way towards the still. They wore peaked caps, old tweedy jackets, baggy trousers and Wellingtons. Typical mountainy men, they also carried sticks to help them along.
    Gradually the men approached the still, unaware that they were walking into a trap. Taking great care not to be seen, the police and Excise men watched and waited. Then, as the three men reached the still and began taking off the covering sacks, the two nearest Excise men pounced.
    The mountainy men, however, soon showed they weren’t to be trifled with. As the other officers of the law made their way down to the lake, the two Excise men found themselves being flailed with the heavy ends of the sticks, which were being wielded like shillelaghs and with the same effect. The two Excise men went down under the blows, and as the policemen drew their batons and clambered over the rocks to lend a hand, the mountainy men, far from being trapped at the water’s edge, jumped into a small boat which they had hidden in the rushes and rowed furiously out onto the lake. The officers stopped at the water’s edge, pushed back their caps and stood, hands on hips, frustrated and perplexed.
    â€˜Why don’t they run around and cut them off?’ asked Tapser.
    â€˜They know they’d never make it,’ said Peppi. ‘It’s a lot longer than it looks from here. It’s boggy and by the time they’d get around to the other side they’d be too exhausted to chase them. Anyway, they’re not used to the mountain. Those men are. They’d never catch them. Come on. Let’s go home.’
    â€˜I suppose,’ ventured Tapser, ‘that isn’t the big still you’re looking for?’
    Peppi laughed. ‘I wish it was. But I’m afraid that’s only one of the wee stills.’
    Róisín and Rachel sat beside Peppi on the way down.
    â€˜How well do you know the shore?’ he asked them.
    Róisín shrugged. ‘As well as anybody else I suppose. Why?’
    â€˜Because I want you to do something for me. That is, if you still want to help me find the smugglers.’
    They assured him they did and, as the boys leaned out through the doorway to hear what he had to say, he went on, ‘I think what you saw at the Castle Spa may turn out to be a very important part of this jigsaw. So I want you to try and find the cave that goes in under it.’
    â€˜And what will you be doing?’ asked Tapser.
    â€˜I have to find out where the stuff is coming from,’ Peppi told them. ‘But if you could find the entrance to that cave from the seashore, it would be a great help.’
    â€˜There are a lot of caves down there,’ said Cowlick, ‘but I don’t think it should be too hard to find.’
    â€˜And we were going to look for it anyway,’ added Tapser.
    â€˜Good,’ said Peppi, ‘but be careful.’
    â€˜And what about our folks?’ asked Rachel. ‘How much can we tell them?’
    â€˜Tell nobody anything,’ advised Peppi. ‘At least, not yet. Remember what I said. Secrecy is most important at this stage. Whoever’s involved in this business, they’re in it for big money, and if the news gets out that we’re after them it could be very dangerous. So mind yourself.’

7. STOWAWAYS

    After tea, Cowlick got the torch and they made their way out to the rocks on the far side of the harbour. It was a lovely evening. Gulls were circling the cliffs and terns were hovering