he Churchwarden.

"Do you know," whispered the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "I believe
that we are in a good deal of--er--danger."

Freddie put his hand in Toby's, and held it tight. "You keep close to me
if you can," said Toby, squeezing his hand. "We may be rescued at the
last minute; you never can tell. Don't lose your nerve."

Freddie was trembling with fear, and the hand which held Toby's was as
cold as ice; but he said nothing; the others were being brave, and he
resolved that he would be as brave as the rest, up to the very last. He
began to think of his mother and his father, and to wonder what would
become of them if he should be--but he forced himself not to think of
that; he pressed his lips tight together, and commanded himself to be
brave.

The six pirates returned, clad in their baggy rubber suits, and looking
very much like bears walking on their hind legs. They brought with them
Captain Lingo's suit, and helped him to get into it. When he was encased
like the others, with only his hands and face showing, he said:

"Now, madam, I will assist you to the fall."

"We'll attend to that," put in Toby, quickly. "Come on, Mr. Punch."

Aunt Amanda's cane having been lost, she found more difficulty in
walking than formerly, but Toby and Mr. Punch supported her to such
good effect that she kept up with the others very well on their march
into the water towards the fall. All, except the pirates, shivered as
the cold water came again around their knees, and they looked with fear
upon the tumbling cataract which they were required to go under. There
was no help for it, however; the seven pirates surrounded them and
persuaded them to go on. They stood in a forlorn group in the quiet
water near the foot of the fall.

"Now, madam," said Captain Lingo, "I will help you under."

Toby and Mr. Punch, feeling that the pirate knew the way better than
they did, resigned Aunt Amanda to his care, not without some fear that
the villain might deliberately drown her on the way through. He made her
kneel in the water, and then lie flat; and with a strong arm he pulled
her under the water-fall and out of sight.

"You're next," said a deep voice to Freddie, and Ketch the Practitioner
seized him and plunged with him under the water; and in an instant they
had disappeared beyond the fall.

One after another the miserable, shivering victims were assisted by the
pirates under the water, and one by one disappeared. The Old Co