Even Jo seemed anxious to get home and he urged Jerry into a trot. “Hey up, Jerry,” he chirped, and slapped the reins over the smooth round back. Jerry pricked up his ears and blew his breath quickly through his nostrils. He obeyed as if he had meant to hurry without being told. Everything grew tense in the peaceful twilight, as14 if a storm were creeping across the smooth sea to burst in fury against the cliff. Ann glanced at Jo’s face and found that his chin was set tightly and his eyes looked straight ahead. He didn’t look frightened, but Ann knew that he had no wish to be caught on this particular bit of road after the night had fallen. 14 Up over the bluff the wagon rattled, Jerry’s feet making a clump-clump in the stillness. Across and down the slight hill they went. 15 CHAPTER II THE WRECKED SCHOONER THE WRECKED SCHOONER The great boat lay almost against the road. As the buckboard sped by she loomed above it in the gathering dusk, menacing and mountainous. Her broken bowsprit swung over the wagon and creaked in the breeze that had just sprung up. Directly below the bowsprit was a carved figurehead, larger than life and clearly outlined against the dull gray of the ship. Sea and rain had washed away the figure’s paint and worn the wood bone-white. It represented a demon nailed to the battered prow, its wide ugly grin and blank eyes peering almost into Ann’s face as the buckboard passed beneath. Ann was on the side of the wagon which was closer and16 could have touched the face if she had reached out her hand to do so. Helen gave a little shriek of fright at sight of the thing and Ann felt the cry echoing in her brain as if she had been the one who called out. The 16 Instinctively she dodged back against Jo, and felt that his muscles were tense against the tightened reins in his hands. Jerry needed no urging; with his back flattened down he ran, swinging his heavy feet swiftly as he mounted the hill toward the house. Ann glanced up from the strong brown hands holding the reins and saw that Jo was staring
Prev.
Back
Top