One of the earliest, if not reliable, sources of intelligence was generally to be met with in the person of Doctor Peters, who was an inveterate newspaper reader, subscribing to many of the metropolitan and local papers. Knowing this, Bennet, who was very eager for news, determined to waylay the doctor. Meeting him on the confines of the park with a newspaper in his hand, he at once accosted him after touching his hat,—
“Any stirring news this morning, sir?” asked the gamekeeper.
“Yes, there’s something fresh,” replied the doctor, “though I daresay that you and others have heard it.”
“It will be news to me at all events,” replied Bennet.
“Well, then, I’ll read you the paragraph which the Daily Post gives:—
“‘A Fishing-Lugger’s Strange Adventure.—A remarkable report reached Dieppe yesterday that the French lugger, No. 365, was attacked off the coast by a party of English aeronauts, who, representing themselves as emissaries of justice, arrested a passenger named Croft in the name of the law. It may be remembered that the prisoner is wanted, together with his confederate Falcon, on various criminal charges. Our report is furnished by the captain of the Retriever, who stood by and gave assistance. Further details will be at hand shortly!’”
“Well, to be sure!” cried Bennet, “that is news indeed.”
“I should just think it is, Bennet. Well, you can take the newspaper and show it to them at the Hall. I sha’n’t go up myself, as the squire is so strangely incensed against me. He seems to think I still support those miscreants; however, he would change his mind if he would listen to a few important details I could tell him. Just look, there goes the postman. Follow him up, Bennet; I daresay he may bring some startling intelligence.”
Notwithstanding the gamekeeper’s agreeable surprise at the doctor’s change of mind, which he was at some loss to understand, he did not waste time in speculation, but hurried up to the Hall and found that the newspaper paragraph had been seen and discussed, and that its effect on the squire was the reverse of agreeable, especially as a letter from Newhaven was of a less sensational character. His informant advised him not to pay much attention to what the reporters had written as a great deal of fiction had been mixed up with a modicum of fact.
“There can be little doubt,” said the correspondent, “that the balloon and a French lugger, which was believed to contain Croft, were engaged, but there was another fugitive on board, though not Falcon, I regret to say. It is impossible at present to say whether your property was saved or not, though I am disposed to think that it was, after a sharp contest, in which two of the three balloonists were slightly wounded, although they came off the victors in the end.”