"That--oh, a night bird of some sort," Mr. Baldwin replied. "An ugly
sound, wasn't it? Beastly things, I can't imagine why they were created.
Whoa--steady there, steady."

The horse reared as he spoke, and taking a violent plunge forward, set
off at a wild gallop. A moment later, and I uttered an exclamation of
astonishment. Keeping pace with us, although apparently not moving at
more than an ordinary walking pace, was a man of medium height, dressed
in a panama hat and albert coat. He had a thin, aquiline nose, a rather
pronounced chin, was clean-shaven, and had a startlingly white
complexion. By the side of him trotted two poodles, whose close-cropped
skins showed out with remarkable perspicuity.

"Who the deuce is he?" I asked, raising my voice to a shout on account
of the loud clatter made by the horse's hoofs and the wheels.

"Who? what?" Mr. Baldwin shouted in return.

"Why, the man walking along with us!"

"Man! I can see no man!" Mr. Baldwin growled.

I looked at him curiously. It may, of course, have been due to the
terrific speed we were going, to the difficulty of holding in the horse,
but his cheeks were ashy pale, and his teeth chattered.

"Do you mean to say," I cried, "that you can see no figure walking on my
side of the horse and actually keeping pace with it?"