He started to run as fast as his long legs would carry him, his night-gown flapping in the evening breeze, and his two persecutors following him with cries of "Booh!" "Scat!" "Shoo!" and other formulae for exorcising evil spirits.
After a hundred yards or so the two heroes gave up the chase, and returned to the slowly-reviving doctor.
"Come along, sir," said Dell; "there's nothing there; it vanished as soon as we got to it.

Let us be quick, sir, in case it comes back." The remainder of the walk home that evening, I need hardly observe, was brisk; but it was not so brisk as the same journey accomplished by Alexander Magnus Bilk, who had reached the school a full quarter of an hour before his pursuers, and was safe between his blankets by the time that they peeped into his room on their way to bed, and whispered consolingly, "It's all up with the duke's daughter now, old man!" The doctor may have had some dim suspicion of the real state of affairs; but if so, he gave no sign, and the boys, happy in their escape from what might have proved a grave matter, were content to forego all further practical jokes of the kind for the rest of the session..