ran on up the valley to the house, only hoping that no owl would come
swooping down upon me. And this is what happened. Just as I reached
the gate which leads to the little bridge below the house I saw Joe
Barnicoat galloping towards me on an unsaddled horse of Farmer
Rowser's. He seemed shocked, or upset, at seeing me; but he kicked the
horse in the ribs and galloped on, crying out that he was having a
little ride. His little ride was taking him at a gallop to the owl,
and I was startled to find that quiet Joe, the mildest gardener in the
county, should be one of the uncanny crew whose signals still hooted
along the combes.

When I reached home the others jeered at me for a sluggard. They had
been at home for twenty minutes, and had begun tea. I let them talk as
they pleased, and then settled down to work; but all that night I
dreamed of great owls, riding in the dark with bee-skeps over them,
filling the combes with their hootings.



CHAPTER VII

THE TWO COASTGUARDS


The next morning, when Hugh and I came to Strete for our lessons, we
found a lot of yeomen and preventives drawn up in the village. People
were talking outside their houses in little excited groups. Jan
Edeclog, the grocer, was at the door of his shop, wiping his hands on
his apron. There was a general rustle and stir, something had
evidently happened.