he `Devil's bit'!"

"How funny!" interposed Nellie. "Why do they give it such a strange
name?"

"Yes, it is rather a strange title; but I read once somewhere that the
story about it is, that the Spirit of Evil, envying the good which this
herb might do to mankind, bit away part of it and thence came its name,
`Devil's bit.'"

"Really, auntie," said Nell. "Does it look as if it had been bitten?"

"Yes, the root does," she replied. "But, come, dearie, we must get back
now as fast as we can, or Captain Dresser and the boys will be there
before us and eat up all the luncheon!"

Without stopping to look at any more flowers or curious plants, they
retraced their steps towards the dell, Nellie humming the last line of
the song of the forget-me-not, which she was trying to learn by heart--
"Of friends who are far away! Of friends who are far away"--when,
suddenly, they heard Rover's bark ringing through the woods, its echoes
loud and resonant, like the sound of a deep-toned bell.

"Come on, dearie," called out Mrs Gilmour, who was in advance,
quickening her pace as she spoke, "come on quick, dearie! There's some
one making off with our lunch; and, just think how hungry we are!"

"Don't fear, auntie," said Nell reassuringly behind her; "Rover will not
let any one touch it, you may be certain!"

Nevertheless, she hurried after Mrs Gilmour; and both arrived together,
well-nigh breathless, at the spot where they had left their feast so
nicely laid out.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

A PICNIC UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

They need not have been alarmed.

Indeed, had she but given herself time for reflection, Nellie must have
known this without any further assurance than the faithful Rover's bark,
which would have been of quite a different tone had any stranger or
suspicious person invaded the spot he was left to guard.

In such case, the good dog would have growled in the most unmistakable
manner, besides giving warning of there being danger ahead by a
different intonation of his expressive voice.

He did not growl now, however, although he who had invaded the sacred
picnic ground where their provender was so lavishly displayed was, in
one sense, a stranger, being not one of the original members of the
festive party who had set out from "The Moorings."

The reason for this was that the new-comer, really, was not a real
"stranger" in the sense of the word. The intruder was, in fact,
Hellyer, the coastguardsman, whom Rover h