alph to Charles below his breath, as
they walked in the darkness along the road towards Slumberleigh; "and
the moon will come out when the wind goes. I have told Evans and Brooks
to go by the fields, and meet us at the cross-roads in the low woods. It
is a good night for us. We don't want light yet a while; and the more
row the wind kicks up till we are in our places ready for them the
better."

They walked on in silence, nearly missing in the dark the turn for
Slumberleigh, where the road branched off to Vandon.

"We must be close upon the river by this time," said Ralph; "but I can't
hear it for the wind."

The moon came out suddenly, and showed close on their right the mill
blocking out the sky, and the dark sweep of the river below, between
pale wastes of flooded meadow. Upon the bridge, leaning over the wall,
stood the figure of a man, bareheaded, with his hat in his hands.

He could not see his face, but something in his attitude struck Charles
with a sudden chill.

"By ----," he said, below his breath, plucking Ralph's arm, "there's
mischief going on there!"

Ralph did not hear, and in another moment Charles was thankful he had
not done so.

The man raised himself a little, and the light fell full on his white
desperate face. He was feeling up and down the edge of the stone-parapet
with his hands. As he moved, Charles recognized him, and drew in his
breath sharply.

"Who is that?" said Ralph, his obtuser faculties perceiving the man for
the first time.

Charles made no answer, but began to whistle loudly one of the tunes of
the day. He saw Dare give a guilty start, and, catching at the wall for
support, lean heavily against it as he looked wildly down the road,
where the shadow of the trees had so far served to screen the approach
of Charles and Ralph, who now emerged into the light, or at least would
have done so, if the moonlight had not been snatched away at that
moment.

"Holloa, Dare!" said Ralph, cheerfully, through the darkness, "I saw
you. What are you up to standing on the bridge at midnight, with the
clock striking the hour, and all that sort of thing; and what have you
done with your hat--dropped it into the water?"

Dare muttered something unintelligible, and peered suspiciously through
the darkness at Charles.

The moon made a feint at coming out again, which came to nothing, but
which gave Charles a moment's glimpse of Dare's convulsed face. And the
grave penetrating glance that met