My mother's uncle, Reuben Huckaback, owned the largest shop
in Dulverton, and sold clothes around the whole area. We were
his only relatives, and my mother thought that we should be
friendly to him.
Uncle Reuben came to us every year for New Year's Day. He
travelled early in the morning, because that was the best time to
escape the Doones. (The Doones were lazy and did not get up
until midday. They usually went out in the late afternoon or at
night.) But this New Year's Day, the Doones rode out early. They
were not interested in stealing, only in having some fun.
We waited for Uncle Reuben until one o'clock, but he did
not appear. There was a very thick mist, and we could not see ten
feet in front of us. My mother became very anxious.
'Oh John, John,' she said, 'I think those people have got your
uncle.'
Mother could never say the word 'Doones'. She always called
them 'those people'.
I answered, 'I feel sorry for them. If they catch Uncle Reuben,
he'll just build another shop beside the river in their valley. He'll
soon take all their money away from them.'
My mother laughed. We decided that we could not wait, so we
had our dinner. Afterwards, I took my gun and left the house to
look for Uncle Reuben. It was very difficult to find my way in
the thick mist. I called my uncle's name and searched among the
bushes, but I could not find him. I had decided to return home
when I heard a man's voice in the mist.
'God help me and forgive me!' said the voice.
I went towards the sound and found a small horse with a man
on its back. He was tied to the horse. His feet were by the horse's
neck and his head was near its tail. The little horse was frightened
by this strange way of riding, and it was jumping around, trying