An immediate lull followed, through which as instantly came strange sounds, as of a distant staccato thunder.

The moment the laird heard the douf thuds, he started to his feet, and made for the door, and Cosmo rose to follow.
"Stop! stop!" shouted Lord Mergwain, in a quavering, yet, through terror, imperative voice, and looked as if his hair would have stood on end, only that it was a wig.
Lady Joan gave Cosmo a glance of entreaty: the shout was ineffectual, the glance was not.

The laird scarcely heard his visitor's cry, and hastened from the room, taking huge strides with his long thin legs; but Cosmo resumed his seat as if nothing were the matter.
Lord Mergwain was trembling visibly; his jaw shook, and seemed ready to drop.
"Don't be alarmed, my lord," said Cosmo; "it is only one of the horses kicking against his stall." "But why should the brute kick ?" said his lorship, putting his hand to his chin, and doing his best to hide his agitation.
"My father will tell us.

He will soon set things right.

He knows all about horses.