indicate the presence of a
human being, but hearing nothing, longing intensely the while for some
breakfast; and just as he was conjuring up visions of a country-house
meal, with hot bread, delicious butter, and yellow cream, he detected in
the distance the cooking of home-made bacon, and as if to add poignancy
to the keen edge of his hunger, a hen began loudly to announce that
somewhere or other there was a new-laid egg.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

BREAKFAST UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

"Well, this beats everything I've had to do with," said Hilary, as the
hours glided by, and he began to suffer acutely. Visions of delicious
country breakfasts, for which he had longed, had now given place to the
humblest of desires, for he felt as if he would have given anything for
the most mouldy, weevilly biscuit that ever came out of a dirty bag in a
purser's locker. He had fasted before now, but never to such an extent
as this, and he sat upon his straw heap at last, chewing pieces to try
and relieve his pain.

He had worked at the iron bars for a time, but had now given it up,
finding that he would be knifeless long before he could loosen a single
bar; besides, that gnawing hunger mastered everything else, and in place
of the active the passive state had set in: with a feeling of obstinate
annoyance against his captors he had determined to sit still and starve.

The probabilities are that Hilary's obstinate determination would have
lasted about an hour; but he was not called upon to carry it out, for
just about noon, as he guessed, he fancied he heard a voice, and jumping
up he ran to the window and listened.

Yes, there was no mistake about it. Some one was singing, and it was in
sweet girlish tones.

"Ahoy! I say there!" shouted Hilary at the invisible singer, who seemed
to be right away on the other side of the garden; and the singing
stopped on the instant. "Is any one there?"

There was not a sound now, and he was about to cry out once more when he
caught a glimpse of a lady's dress, and a little slight figure came
cautiously through the trees, looking wonderingly about.

"Hurrah!" shouted Hilary, thrusting out his arm and waving his hand,
"Addy! Addy! Here!"

The figure came closer, showing the pleasant face and bright wondering
eyes of Sir Henry Norland's daughter, who came timidly on towards the
building where Hilary was confined.

"Don't you know me, Addy?" he cried.

"Hilary! you here?"

"Yes, for the presen