The wind had risen and blew out the match. For a moment they breathed again, but it was only a temporary respite, for he immediately struck another. He shaded it carefully this time, and, taking the paper, applied the corner to the flame. At that same moment a terrific and unearthly yell sounded in the wood above. Mr. Hockheimer started and turned, dropping blazing letter and match to the ground. There was a rustle among the bushes, and with an enormous bound a dark figure sprang sheer from the rocks on to the platform of grass, made a grab at the paper, seized it, put out the fire, and leaped away with it into the gathering dusk of the undergrowth below. It happened with such extraordinary rapidity and suddenness that it was all over in a flash, and the boys only caught a glimpse of a black mask, and two long legs that hopped with the agility of a spider-monkey. Considerably scared, they crept back from their position of vantage, and, rushing through the darkening wood, managed to regain the pathway. It was not till they had finally crossed the stile and got into the high road that they began to compare notes. "Well! We've seen it!" ejaculated David meaningly. "What is it?" whispered Anthony in awestruck tones. "Teddy Jones says it's Old Nick himself. It was terrible when it yelled!" "Those legs were human," maintained David. "I can't guess who it is, or how he manages to jump like that, but I bet he's not a spook." Anthony, who inclined to the supernatural theory of the apparition, shook his head doubtfully. "Spook or not, he's no friend to old Hockheimer," added David. "He's taken the letter--what was left of it." "Only a bit was burnt." "I wonder what was in it?" "Something that Hun wanted safely out of the way." "It must be Squire Reynolds's will!" "Well, Spring-heeled Jack's got it, at any rate, and whether he'll ever turn it up again is the question. If we could find out who he is we might get on the track of it." "We'll try, for Pamela's sake--though she's a bally idiot to let her uncle take that letter!" "It strikes me we've got on the track of something else to-night," continued David. "Did you notice that lamp?" "Yes, I did." "And where he stuck it?" "Rather!" "The light would shine right out to sea." "And aeroplanes could see it too, from there." "I've always suspected old Hockheimer. He ought to have been interned long ago. I can't think why they let him be at large. The Government's very lax with these Germans. If I were in Parliament I'd clear out the whole set of them." Anthony drew a long breath. "We must watch him. Don't say too much to Pamela, in case the silly goose blabs. Shall we tell her what we've seen to-night?" "On the whole I think we'd better not. She hates him, and yet perhaps she might not altogether want to get him into trouble. We'll go cautiously, and hunt about, and see what more we can find out."