to the dog, who appears to be fully alive to the
brewing storm, "you and I will have to stop this business. There'll be
three to two, unless the boy fights too. We must be here at eleven, and
tackle one of them before the other two come. What do you say to that?"

Julius looks only sorry the business is not to begin at once.

Then the tramp and he go carefully into the plan of their little
campaign, and, as soon as day dawns, go out for a walk, Julius taking
care before quitting the shed to acquaint himself with the scent of the
two gentlemen who had lately sheltered outside it.

The tramp spends a quiet day on the mountain, reading Homer, and
admiring the view. Towards nightfall he descends to Overstone and
spends a few of his remaining pence in a frugal meal. Then, as the moon
dips behind the shoulder of Wild Pike, he betakes himself, with the
faithful Julius close at his heels, to the shed on the mountain-side.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

KIDNAPPING.

Percy Rimbolt, despite his unusual literary labours of the past evening,
rose promptly when Walker knocked at his door at six o'clock, and
arrayed himself once more in his flannels.

The storm of the night, which had disturbed Jeffreys and his dog five
miles away, had not spread as far as Wildtree, and the early summer sun
was already hot as he sallied forth with his waterproof over one arm,
and his dozen ash sticks under the other in the direction of the river.
Kennedy, at the lodge, was considerably astonished to be awakened by a
shower of gravel against his window, and to perceive, on looking out,
the young master in full fishing order standing below, "Kennedy,
Appleby's going to leave some things here for me about twelve o'clock.
Mind you're in, and wait till I come for them. And if Raby comes, tell
her I'll be up about then; tell her not to go away."

"Do you want me down at the river, sir?" asked the old keeper.

"No, keep away; and don't let any one else come below Rodnet Bridge."
With which injunction the youthful man of science went on his way,
leaving Kennedy to shake his head and wonder what little game the young
master was up to now.

Percy plodded on a couple of miles down the stream, considerably beyond
the park boundaries, till he reached Rodnet Bridge, under which the
mountain torrent slipped in a swift, deep stream. Just below the
bridge, among the trees which crowded down to the water's edge, was a
little hut, used by the Wildtree keepers f