“It was extraordinary enough, all right,” acquiesced the younger man, “Let me clean up and I’ll tell you about it.” “Wait a moment,” said Dick Colton, and introduced his brother to the other men. “Several queer things have been happening here lately,” he continued. “We’re all interested in them, particularly Mr. Haynes. Tell us now—unless you’re in pain,” added Dick anxiously. “Let’s look at your knee.” “Oh, that’s nothing. I’m not suffering any except in my temper. Things I don’t understand disturb my judicial poise.” “Did your horse roll into one of the gullies?” asked Haynes. “There are some nasty slides if you get off the road.” “No, my horse didn’t; but I did,” replied the other. “The Professor of Prevarication who keeps the Amagansett livery stable told me that the mare knew the road. If she did know it, she carefully concealed her knowledge, for as soon as the pitch darkness fell (by the way, I don’t remember a blacker night) she began to stroll across the verdant meads like a man chewing a straw and thinking of his troubles. Except for the sound of the surf, I had no way to steer her, so I just said to her: ‘If you lug me back to Amagansett, I’ll break every rib in your umbrella,’ and let her amble. About half an hour ago I sighted your light here. Without any cause that I could make out, my lady friend began to toss her head upward and sniff the air and tremble.” “You think the horse heard something?” asked Haynes. “If I’d been in a big game country I should have said she scented something. It was a dead calm, and I could have heard any noise, I think. Well, Jezebel began to buck-jump, and I was rather enjoying myself when suddenly she did a thing that was new to me in the equine line. Her legs just seemed to give way from under her, and she slumped so completely that I was flipped off sidewise. As I got to my feet I felt a little gust of air that brought a curious odour very plainly to me.” “That’s a new development,” said Haynes quietly. “What was it like?” “Did you ever smell a copperhead snake?” “Often. Like ripe cucumbers.” “Yes. Well, this was something on that order, only much stronger and pretty sickening. Are there any copperheads in Montauk?” “No, nor ever was,” said Johnston positively. “Anyway, I think it was a snake. The mare thought it was something uncanny. She went crazy, and began to rave and tear like a bucking automobile. Just as I thought I was getting her calmed I stepped on a round stone, that slid me down into a gully on one side of my face. Again I felt that strange rush of foul air. Jezebel gave a yell and broke away, and I was adrift on the broad prairies. There’s one thing I noticed—oh, well, I suppose I imagined it.” “No. Go on. Tell us what it was.” “Well, the draft of wind seemed to come from opposite directions. It seemed as if something had passed and repassed above me.” Dick Colton turned to Haynes. “‘The Wonderful Whalley’ is somewhere on the knolls,” he said.