"I will go, master."

"I would rather go myself, Roger. I am accustomed to traverse the moors
at night, and am sure that I can find this place again, without
difficulty."

On nearing the top of the hill, they came upon a number of rough
stones.

"We cannot do better than stop here," Oswald said. "It will be bare on
the top of the hill. Now, Roger, help me to pile a few of these stones
together, so as to make a sort of shelter."

They set to work at once, Roger's strength enabling him to lift stones
that ordinary men could scarcely have moved. In a quarter of an hour a
little inclosure, six feet long by four wide and three high, had been
constructed. An armful of dry heather was then pulled up, and laid on
the ground.

"There, girls, I think you will be able to manage to keep yourselves
warm, by lying close together."

"What are you going to do, Oswald?"

"We shall be all right; and we can, if we like, make another shelter;
and, if we feel cold, can walk about to warm ourselves. Now, Roger, get
half a dozen sticks and lay across the top."

While Roger was away getting the sticks, Oswald helped the girls over
the wall, for no entrance had been left.

"Now, Janet, give me those two wet smocks; I see that you have brought
them with you."

"What do you want them for, Oswald?"

"I want them for the roof, Janet. It is beginning to freeze hard, and
it is of no use having walls, if you have not a roof."

"Won't you take my cloak, instead?"

"Certainly not, Janet, you will want your cloak for a covering. Don't
be silly, but hand them over."

By this time, Roger had returned with the sticks. They were laid across
the top, and the girls' smocks spread over them.

"Now, go to sleep," Oswald said; "we must be on foot, an hour before
dawn."

Oswald then started down the hill for Parton. When he got within a mile
of the town, he could see lights moving about on the road; and guessed
that the Bairds had got torches, and were making sure that the
fugitives had not hidden themselves anywhere close to the road; for
they must have felt certain that they could not have reached the town,
before being overtaken. When the lights had gone along the road, he
descended to the river, took off his doublet and shirt, as before, and
swam over; crossed the road, and was not long in finding the trees that
marked the spot where he was to turn off to the farmhouse.

He made his way to the stable, raised the latch, and entered. A la