over, and his fear communicated itself to Eric. Horrible visions of a
trial for burglary, imprisonment in the castle jail, and perhaps
transportation, presented themselves to their excited imaginations, as
the sound of the footsteps came nearer.

"I can't run any further, Eric," said Wildney. "What shall we do? don't
leave me, for heaven's sake."

"Not I, Charlie. We must hide the minute we get t'other side of this
hedge."

They scrambled over the gate, and plunged into the thickest part of a
plantation close by, lying down on the ground behind some bushes, and
keeping as still as they could, taking care to cover over their
white collars.

The pursuer reached the gate, and no longer hearing footsteps in front
of him, he paused. He went a little distance up the hedge on both sides
and held up his light, but did not detect the cowering boys, and at last
giving up the search in despair, went slowly home. They heard him
plodding back over the field, and it was not until the sound of his
footsteps had died away, that Eric cautiously broke cover, and looked
over the hedge. He saw the man's light gradually getting more distant,
and said, "All right now, Charlie. We must make the best of our
way home."

"Are you sure he's gone?" said Wildney, who had not yet recovered from
his fright.

"Quite; come along. I only hope Pietrie and Graham ain't caught."

They got back about half-past four, and climbed in unheard and
undetected through the window pane. They then stole up stairs with
beating hearts, and sat in Eric's room to wait for the other two. To
their great relief they heard them enter the lavatory about ten
minutes after.

"Were you twigged?" asked Wildney eagerly.

"No," said Graham; "precious near it though. Old Gordon and some men
were after us, but at last we doubled rather neatly, and escaped them.
It's all serene, and we shan't be caught."

"Well, we'd best to bed now," said Eric; "and, to my thinking, we should
be wise to keep a quiet tongue in our heads about this affair."

"Yes, we had better tell _no one_." They agreed, and went off to bed
again. So, next morning, they all four got up quite as if nothing had
happened, and made no allusion to the preceding night, although, they
could not help chuckling inwardly a little when the Gordonites came to
morning school, brimful of a story about their house having been
attacked in the night by thieves, who, after bagging some pigeons, had
been chevied by Gordo