e was a terrific scramble, and the goat bounded
past her almost knocking her out of the tree. In the struggle not to
fall she very naturally dropped the leading-string and clung with both
hands to a bough. Jack took advantage of his opportunity. Without
pausing more than a second on the Eagle's Nest he skipped lightly on to
the top of the boundary wall, and from there took a tremendous jump
right into Mrs. Howard's orchard.

"He's gone!" shrieked Madge. "Oh, what shall we do!"

Quite overcome by this unforeseen calamity, the children actually
forgot to quarrel among themselves about who was responsible for the
accident. They all crouched down on the sticks composing the Eagle's
Nest, and watched almost in silence the scene that was going on down in
the orchard. At first Jack appeared frantic with delight at having
regained his freedom and discovered a new playground. He scampered
round and round the orchard, kicking up his heels, and disturbing
horribly the placid old cows who were standing half asleep in the
shade, chewing the cud and slowly whisking their tails to drive the
flies off their sleek backs. But after a time it seemed as if Jack
began to feel rather strange amidst his new surroundings. He left off
frisking, and wandered restlessly about the orchard as if searching for
some way to get out. Once or twice he looked up at the wall and
bleated rather piteously.

"He wants to get back," said Betty. "Do you think he can possibly jump
up the wall again?" She spoke almost in a whisper, having an
uncomfortable feeling that if Mrs. Howard heard strange voices she
might appear as suddenly as she had done on the last occasion.

"It's too high and straight even for Jack," replied Madge sadly. "You
know the trunk of the tree helped him on this side, and, besides, you
and John were both pushing him from behind."

"I've thought of a way," cried Betty. "Only I'm not quite sure whether
I should dare to do it. I would, if you promised to come with me. It
is for two of us to go down the rope-ladder into the orchard and try to
catch Jack, and then--"

"Push him up the wall again, you mean?" interrupted Madge eagerly.
"Yes, we'll do it! It's the only way we can get Jack back."

"But won't it be trespassing to go into Mrs. Howard's field?" inquired
John.

This suggestion rather damped the spirits of the party. They knew that
if you were caught trespassing, very terrible though ill-defined things
might h