appen. When Barton found that village boys had been walking
over the farm, searching for birds' nests and trampling down the mowing
grass, he always said they had better not let him catch them
trespassing or they would never forget it. He never condescended to
explain exactly what punishment awaited them; but it sounded rather
like imprisonment for life, with hard labour. So the little Wests grew
up with a wholesome terror of being found trespassing, believing that
such an offence might lead to something much more severe than the
scolding at home, which was all the punishment they received for
ordinary acts of mischief.

"Perhaps it would not count as trespassing if we stood on the
rope-ladder," said Betty hopefully. "And Jack might come to us if we
called him. Anyhow, we could climb up again quickly if we saw Mrs.
Howard coming, and she could never say that we had been exactly on her
land."

"I tell you what," said Madge after a moment's thought, "I shall go
down the rope-ladder after Jack even if I have to run into the middle
of the field to catch him. And if it's trespassing I can't help it.
You two can sit in the Eagle's Nest and warn me if you see any danger.
I would rather do it all by myself."

When Madge spoke in that decided kind of way, the younger ones knew
that she had made up her mind. And they were justly proud of her
bravery and energy. But an unexpected obstacle prevented Madge from
carrying her heroic design into execution. When they began to search
for the rope-ladder it was not there!

No doubt Madge had been perfectly correct in saying that she had left
it safely coiled round a branch, the last time they played at the
Eagle's Nest. Only Betty had been equally right as she crossed the
field in saying that she could not see it there to-day. The children
would probably have noticed its disappearance much sooner if they had
not been so absorbed in watching Jack. There seemed really nothing
left to be done; for even Madge with all her length of limb and daring
courage could not get up or down a wall ten feet high without any help.

CHAPTER X.

THE TRESPASSER.

"Look! look!" exclaimed Betty suddenly, in a hoarse whisper. She
pointed towards the orchard, and then crouched down behind a branch,
trying to look even smaller than nature had made her. The others
followed her example, until they were not much more conspicuous than
three young squirrels. But though the children scarce