The Legend of the Phantom Highwayman by Tom McCaughren

boat,’ said Tapser. ‘They’ll probably have to put ashore at Rathlin.’
    â€˜Or Ballycastle. It doesn’t matter where, as long as we get off this ship.’
    â€˜Come on so,’ urged Tapser. ‘Better hurry before they come back.’
    Creeping over to the side of the ship, they could just make out the lobster boat lying below them. There was no one around, and without a word they climbed over onto the rope ladder. Gingerly they made their way down.
    The ship itself was fairly steady, but not the lobster boat, and Róisín looked down as Tapser stretched out a leg to try and get a foot on board. ‘Careful,’ she warned. ‘Careful.’
    The lobster boat rose and fell and rose again. Tapser dropped into it, picked himself up and reached for Róisín. The boat pulled away for a moment, and Róisín clung on to the ladder. A second later it was below her again. ‘Now!’ said Tapser and pulled her on board.
    They found that the canvas cover had been put back on board and thrown over some empty crates and lobster pots, with a heap of netting piled on top, presumably to keep it down. Hoping that they wouldn’t be spotted, they crawled in under the canvas once more. After a while, voices and the sharp movement of the boat told them that Whaler and Scamp had followed them down the ladder. The engine burst into life and the boat went racing across the sea.
    Under the canvas, Tapser and Róisín waited for the change of sound and movement that would tell them they had arrived at the pier in Church Bay. But the engine continued at the same pitch as the boat churned its way through the sea, and soon it became obvious that Rathlin wasn’t to be their destination after all.
    â€˜I bet we’re going to Ballycastle,’ whispered Róisín.
    â€˜How far is that?’
    â€˜About eight miles.’
    â€˜I hope it doesn’t take too long. I’m beginning to feel queasy already.’
    â€˜Me too,’ whispered Róisín. ‘But we’re going to have to hold on.’
    The sea was becoming rougher now. Up and down, up and down they went, crashing against wave after wave. Grimly they held on, their free hand on their stomach or their mouth. Their stomachs seemed to be moving up and down with each pitch and roll of the boat, and the smell of the diesel and fish added to their nausea. They had an overpowering urge to throw up, but somehow they managed not to. Perhaps it was the fact that they hadn’t eaten for so long, or the fear of being discovered. In any event they held on, and after what seemed like an eternity the sound of the engine died down.
    Cautiously Róisín eased up the edge of the canvas and peeped out. ‘The mist is very thick,’ she whispered to Tapser. ‘I think maybe they’ve lost their bearings.’
    As the boat bobbed about, they waited to see what Whaler and Scamp were going to do. They could hear the two of them talking, probably wondering where they were. The noise of the engine increased slightly and the boat eased its way forward. Somewhere beyond them they could now hear waves breaking on the shore, and suddenly they felt themselves being carried along. A few minutes later the boat scraped aground, and they heard Whaler and Scamp getting out.
    Pulling back the canvas, they gulped in mouthfuls of fresh air. They could see that the mist was blowing in low over the sea and had already enveloped Whaler and Scamp. Hardly able to believe their good fortune, they jumped out and ran across the stony beach. Finding their way blocked by a sea wall, they searched around frantically until they found a way up. If only they could get over the top unseen, they knew they just might get away.
    However, a sudden roar from Whaler brought them to a halt. Turning around, they saw that a gap in the mist had revealed their presence on the wall.
    â€˜That’s torn it,’ gasped Tapser.