jerking a letter on
to the floor, which Hilary picked up.

"Look here, Master Allstone," he cried, shaking a finger at him; "one of
these days I shall come here with a dozen or two of our brave boys, and
if I don't have you flogged till you beg my pardon for all this, my name
is not Hilary Leigh."

"Bah!" ejaculated the man; and he went away making as much noise as he
could with the lock and bar so as to annoy his prisoner, but without
success, for that individual was reading the letter he had received.

It was as follows:--

"My dear Hilary,--Fate has placed us on opposite sides, and though she
has now thrown us together, I am compelled to hold aloof until you can
say to me, `Here is my parole of honour not to betray you or to
escape!' or `I see that I am on the side of a usurper, and abjure his
service. From henceforth I am heart and soul with you.' When you can
send me either of those messages, Hilary, Adela and I are ready to
receive you with open arms. Till then we must be estranged; but all
the same, my dear boy, accept my gratitude and love for your bravery
in saving our lives.--Affectionately yours, Henry Norland."

"Then we shall have to remain estranged," said Hilary as he stood by the
open window refolding the letter and thinking of his position.

"Hil! Hil!" came from below.

"Ahoy!" he answered. "Well, little lady?" and he leaned out.

"Isn't it a beautiful morning, Hil," said Adela, looking up. "Lovely."

"Why don't you come down and have a run with me in the woods?"

"For one reason, because I am locked up," said Hilary. "For another,
because I have not made my hands and face acquainted with soap and water
since I was aboard the cutter; my hair is full of bits of straw and dead
leaves, and my clothes are soaked and shrunken, and muddied and torn.
Altogether, I am not fit to be seen."

"Well, but Hil, dear, why don't you wash yourself?"

"Because your esteemed friends here do not allow me soap, water, and
towel. I say, Addy, if I lower down a piece of string, will you send me
a jug of water?"

"Same as I did the milk? Oh, of course!" said the girl laughing.

"All right," said Hilary; "get it, please."

He took out his knife, and without hesitation nicked and tore off the
hem of one of his sheets, knotted two lengths together, lowered them
down, and in turn drew up wash-hand jug, soap, brush and comb, and
afterwards a basin, by having it tied up in a towel, and at