nd bound on Roger's head. He waded into the
water until it reached his chin, and then swam out. The distance to be
traversed was but some fifteen yards, and a few strokes of his brawny
arms brought him to the opposite bank. Having laid down his bundle
there, he swam quickly back again.

"Are you ready, girls?" Oswald asked.

"Yes," Janet replied, and two white figures came out from the bushes,
each carrying a bundle.

"Do you go into the bushes again, for a minute. We cannot take you and
the bundles over together; and it is better that you should stand here,
in dry things, than wait in wet ones, over there."

A minute sufficed to tie the bundles on the heads of the two men. They
soon swam across to the other side, left them there, and returned.

"The water is bitterly cold for the girls," Oswald said, as they swam
across together.

"It is, master, but they will only be in it for a minute, and they will
soon be warm again."

"Now, girls."

"We have just heard the sound of horses in the distance, Oswald," Janet
said.

He listened.

"Sound travels far, this still night," he said; "they can only just
have started. We shall be across long before they come along.

"Now, Jessie, we will take you first. The stream runs strongly, and it
were best that you went over separately. All you have to do is to put a
hand on a shoulder of each of us. Come along."

"I will carry her till we get into deep water," Roger said, catching
the girl up in his arms, and running into the stream.

Jessie gasped, as the water reached her.

"It will be over in a minute," Oswald said encouragingly. "Now, we are
going to swim. Put your hands upon our shoulders. That is right."

Striking out strongly, they easily carried her until she was in her
depth.

"Now, dear, get ashore, and stand behind those bushes, and take off
your wet things and put on your dry ones. We will have Janet across, in
no time."

The girl was carried across as easily as her sister had been.

"Here is your bundle, dear. Jessie has taken hers. Dress as quickly as
you can. Stoop down, as soon as you reach the bushes. They will be
here, directly."

Janet ran to the thicket, and Oswald and Roger threw themselves down
behind a great stone. Two minutes later, they could hear the thunder of
hoofs go along the road opposite, but could not make out the figures.

"How many are there of them, do you think, Roger?"

"A dozen or so, master."

"Yes, I should think you