rer to us even than life; and as our hearts sink we envy those happy
people, who, by their simple trust in their Saviour and in the all-
pervading Goodness, are able to face with courage both Life and Death.

Dig stumbled on, dead beat, losing heart, at every step, and stopping
sometimes to take breath with a gasp which sounded ominously like a sob.
The long hill seemed interminable; there was no glimmer of a light
anywhere to cheer him; no clatter of a horse's hoofs to ring hope into
his heart. All was black, and wet, and dreary. What if he should find
the abbey deserted, and have to walk home--alone! He had nearly reached
the ruin when he stumbled against two men conversing in the middle of
the road. To his inexpressible relief one of them was Railsford.

"Mr Railsford!" gasped the boy, springing upon the master with a
suddenness which made both men start, "is that you? Where's Arthur?
Have you found him?"

"He's all right--he's on the top of the window still, and we can't get
him down till daylight. I'm just arranging with Farmer White to bring a
ladder."

Dig made a dash in the direction of the abbey gate.

"Where are you going?" said Railsford.

"I'm going to hop up beside him," shouted Dig, almost beside himself
with relief.

The master caught him firmly by the arm.

"If you think of such a thing, Oakshott, I shall get Farmer White here
to cart you straight back to Grandcourt."

This terrible threat sobered Dig at once. He waited impatiently till
the two men had made their arrangements, and then, with beating heart,
accompanied the master to the ruin.

"He is safe up where he is," said the latter, "and says he has room to
sit down and a back of ivy to lean against. But he must be half drowned
and frozen. It will do him good to know you are here. Now stay where
you are, while I get on the wall and shout to him. He cannot hear us
down here." Dig waited, and listened to the master scrambling up the
ivy and feeling his way on his hands and knees along the wall to the
bottom of the arch.

Then he heard him shout--

"Arthur, are you there, all right?"

And his heart leapt as a shrill reply came back from the heights.

"Oakshott is here with me," shouted the master.

It was all a mistake about not being able to hear from the level ground.
Dig heard the "Hallo! what cheer, Dig?" as plainly as he heard
Railsford himself.

"What cheer?" he howled in reply. "Keep up your pecker, old man."