ments. They had been placed there probably for the purpose of
being afterwards sent for and brought away, and if such was the
intention of the occupants of the house it had by some reason been
frustrated. There were many signs, however, of a hasty departure,
though why Master Pearson had suddenly gone away with his wife and
reputed daughter Jack could not determine.

He feared, however, from the contents of the room which he had examined,
that they must have gone to some distance, or otherwise these articles
would probably have been sent for and brought away. Not a particle of
food was to be found in the house, and it was therefore impossible for
them to remain for the night, and Jack believed that there was time to
return to the nearest village where accommodation could be obtained. He
there also hoped to gain some information regarding Master Pearson's
movements.

With heavy hearts the two horsemen mounted their steeds and took their
way across the marsh. Night however closed in upon them before they
were clear of it. At length a light appeared before them. It seemed to
come from a cottage window close down to the ground. Jack was on the
point of riding towards it, when he knew by the hesitation shown by his
horse that he was approaching treacherous ground. At that instant the
light vanished--again to appear, however, at a little distance farther
off.

"Ah, how foolish I was to be tempted by such a `will o' the wisp' as
that!" he exclaimed. "We must keep away, my dear sir, to the left, and
I hope ere long that we shall escape from this treacherous
neighbourhood." He had been through a good many trying scenes, but he
had never felt more perplexed than he did at this moment. He was
grieved too, and sick at heart. Somewhat surprised also, perhaps, to
find how much he felt the absence of Elizabeth, though he soon persuaded
himself that it was more on his friend's account than his own. After
riding some way, Jack did what under such circumstances is the only
course to pursue. Going first himself, he allowed his horse to follow
the path which his own instinct dictated; and by so doing, in the course
of an hour the hoofs of his animal once more trod hard ground. In a
short time afterwards a twinkling light appeared, far brighter, however,
than the "will o' the wisp" which had before deceived them, and they
rode up to the very inn which Jack had hoped to reach. The landlord was
well pleased to see two well