now reached the highest part of the downs. After this,
having to descend to the cultivated ground, they lost sight of the ship.
Making a short cut across some fields enclosed by stone walls, they
reached a lane with hedges on either side, along which they proceeded
for a mile or more, as snake-like it twisted and turned in various
directions, till, crossing what from its width looked like a high-road,
though as full of ruts and holes as the lane, they passed through a
gateway, the entrance to an avenue of fine beech-trees. The once stout
gate shook and creaked on its rusty hinges as they pushed it open; the
keeper's lodge was in ruins, burnt down many years ago, for the marks of
fire were still visible on the portions of the walls seen between the
ivy and other creepers partially covering them. The lads, hurrying up
the avenue, soon reached a substantial house of some size, surrounded by
a broad moat with a roughly constructed wooden bridge, where once a
drawbridge had existed across the narrowest part, directly in front of
the chief entrance. The most prominent feature of the building was a
porch of stone, handsomely carved; on the right side of it was a breadth
of wall with several windows, and at the end what appeared from its
architecture to be a chapel, though the large window at the gable-end
had been bricked up, a few loopholes only being left in it. On the
other side of the porch was a still more extensive range of windows,
giving light to a large hall, and beyond that again was a square stone
tower, serving in the eyes of the architect as a balance to the chapel.
The moat was a sufficient distance from the house to allow of a roadway
round it to the back, where, guarded by a high wall, the offices and
stables, the cow-house, the piggeries and poultry-yard, were situated.

The boys hurried through the open doorway, the savoury odours proceeding
from the hall on the left exciting their appetites. The family were
already seated at table, and Master Holden, the parson of the parish,
was in the act of saying grace. As soon as he had concluded, they took
the places left vacant for them, Stephen managing to place himself next
to Mistress Alice Tufnell, while Roger, who cared not where he sat, went
to one on the opposite side of the table between his father and the
parson, who had at first humbly taken a lower position. At the head of
the table sat Colonel Tregellen, the owner of Eversden Manor, with his
spright