t, a strange wallowing
noise, and as the lads parted and peered through the rushes they could
see that the constable was down and floundering in the bog.

"Oh, Tom," cried Dick, struggling up, "he'll be smothered!"

"Sit down; he won't. It'll be a lesson to him."

"But suppose--"

"No, don't suppose anything. He'll get out right enough."

The constable had a hard struggle for a few minutes, and doubtless would
have got out sooner if he had worked a little more with his brains; but
finally he crawled to firmer ground, just as a scuffle began between
Dick and Tom, the former being determined to go to his enemy's help, the
latter clinging to him with all his might to keep him back.

"Now, come along down to the boat. We can get nearly there before he
sees us," whispered Tom.

"But do you think he will get back safe?"

"Of course he will. He won't try to run any more."

Dick took a long look at the constable to see that he was really out of
danger, and feeling satisfied at last that there was nothing to mind, he
followed Tom once more, the two managing so well that after losing sight
of them altogether for some time, their inquisitive pursuer had the
mortification of seeing them enter the punt and push off, leaving him to
make a long and tedious circuit, crawling part of the way, and when he
stood erect, wanting as he was in the boys' experience, making very slow
progress to the regular track.

As soon as the excitement was over, and the boat reached once more,
Dick's gloomy feelings came back, and but for his companion's efforts he
would have relapsed into a mournfully depressed condition, which would
have done little towards making their trip agreeable.

Tom, however, worked hard, and using the pole with vigour he drove the
punt along, till Dick roused up from a fit of musing on his father's
severe looks and Mr Marston's distant manner, to find that they were
close to Dave's home.

"Why have you come here?" he cried.

"To see how he is," replied Tom; and, thrusting down his pole, he soon
had the punt ashore.

"Why, he isn't at home!" said Dick.

His words proved correct, for the punt was missing, and unless it lay on
the other side of an alder patch or was drawn out to be repaired, the
master must have it far away somewhere on the mere.

It need not be supposed that the two lads were troubled with more
curiosity than is the property of most boys of their age, because they
landed and looked round, e