"Now you know what I mean by them."
"I do indeed," he replied with undeniable sincerity. "The most extraordinary experience; a British column on the march! Did you hear the drums and fifes?"
"Yes, of course, and always at the time you think the tune is familiar—and yet never, never,—try as you will, can you recall it."
"But what does it all mean?"
"Who knows? Some say, a body of troops passed here to their death, others, that that is folly, and the sounds have a natural explanation; something to do with the air and echoes and refraction. All I can tell you for certain is, that if you come here when the moon is at the third quarter, and only then, between sunset and eight o'clock, you can hear the troops go by. Tom has heard them, so have Mr. Strong and Perez, and I, and now you! Never Jessie, or the Beauforts, because they cannot ride at all—much less fifteen miles."
"And you think——?"
"That it is a part of Lord Cornwallis's old army, who were led into an ambush, and butchered; what do you say?"
"I will let Shakespeare answer, 'There are more things in earth and heaven, than are dreamt of in our philosophy.'"
"At any rate, you will allow that it is neither scorpions or snakes, but something uncanny."
"I allow that," said Mallender with emphasis. "I will even admit I felt thoroughly scared. That last bugle-call made me shake all over!"