nd not
a soul in sight. That was the position.

We plodded in silence across the meadow.

"Didn't say anything about a bog, did he? said Berry, drawing his left
leg out of some mire with a noise that made me shudder. Jill slid a
warm arm into mine, and broke into long laughter.

"Don't encourage the fool," said Daphne.

We skirted the wood successfully to find that there never could have
been a cart-track.

Berry leaned against a wall of stones. "What a picture," he said
ecstatically. "The setting sun, the little band, the matron and the
maid, mist rising, shadows falling--subject for next year's Academy,
'The Walkers.'"

"Idiot!" said Daphne shortly.

"Do I hear aright?" said Berry.

"I said 'idiot.'"

Berry covered his face with his hat, and begged us to excuse his
emotion. Daphne stamped her foot.

"I have an idea," said I.

"If it's one of your usual ones, we don't want it," said Daphne.

"Thank you, dear. We are undoubtedly lost. No, that is not my idea.
But, as a would-have-been boy-scout, I recognize in this spot a natural
camping-place. That water is close at hand, we know from Scout Berry.
Jonah can take the first watch, Berry the second, Jonah the third,
and--and so on. My own energy I shall reserve for the dog-watch."

"Oh, stop him, somebody," wailed Daphne.

"I said dog-watch, dear, not stop-watch. Before we bivouac I will
scale yon beetling mount if peradventure I may perceive one that will
point us homeward. Scout Berry!"

"Sir," said Berry.

"You know your duties!"

"I do that, sir."

"Tis well. If the worst comes to the worst, kill the women out of
hand, or with your own hand--I don't care which. Age before honesty,
you know."

With that I left them, and turned to climb the hill which rose sharply
on our right, its side dotted with furze-bushes, and its crest hidden
by a clump of trees.

Five minutes later I was back among them again.

"Well," said Daphne eagerly, "you haven't been right to the top, have
you?"

"Oh, no. I only came back to say that when I said 'Age before honesty'
just now, I really meant 'Death before dishonour,' you know," and I
turned up the bank again.

I regret to say that Berry and Jonah thought it decent to attempt to
stone my retreating figure. Ten minutes' walking brought me to a
clearing on the top, which afforded a magnificent view. Hill and dale,
woodland and pasture, stone wall and hedgerow, as far as I could see.
The sinki