n their quickened hearing
there came a distant rumble of wheels. Almost at the same instant
footsteps came tearing up the gravel drive. It was Appleby, who rushed
into the midst of the group assembled on the doorstep.

"All right--he's found!" gasped the lad.

"Is he alive?" cried the mother.

"On a cart!" exclaimed the panting Appleby.

Mrs Rimbolt gave a little shriek, and fell into her husband's arms.
Raby, nerved by the very agony of the suspense, rushed out and ran down
the drive to meet the cart.

"Is Percy there?" she cried.

The cart stopped abruptly, and a strange voice replied,--

"Yes--safe and well and fast asleep."

The words fell like music on the girl's ears. It was too dark to see
anything but the shadowy form of the cart and of a man walking at the
horse's head. She darted back to the house with the joyful news, and in
another minute the cart stood at the door. Percy, who was decidedly
enjoying his sleep, felt by no means as grateful as he should have been
to find himself disturbed at this early hour of the night.

"All serene! all serene!" he growled, in response to his mother's
caresses and Walker's effusive shaking of the hand. "I'm all right,
mother; I want to go to bed."

"Get the hot bath ready," said Mrs Rimbolt to the servants. "My poor
boy!"

"I tell you I'm all serene; can't you let me go to bed?" said the half-
awake Percy. "I don't want anything except sleep."

"Walker, help Master Percy up to bed; let him take our room, and light a
fire in it, and put hot bottles in the bed."

Percy, thankful to get back to his slumbers at any price, allowed Walker
to help him up stairs. At the door of his own room he stopped.

"That will do; you can cut. Walker."

"But you're to have the best room and a fire--"

"You be hanged!" exclaimed the boy, unceremoniously slamming the door in
Walker's face, and locking himself in.

Downstairs, meanwhile, Jeffreys was being besieged with questions on all
hands, which he endeavoured as best he could to answer. Mr Rimbolt,
however perceiving that very little good was to be got out of this
confused cross-examination, asked him to follow him into the library,
once more suggesting to his wife and niece that they should go to bed.
Jeffreys was thankful to find himself in a serene atmosphere, and
despite all the agitation and excitement of the day, his heart warmed as
he looked round on the bookshelves and their friendly occupants.

"Now,"