Straight up from the stack.' He did not demur, and we plunged at the ascent, knee-deep in bracken and furze, sweating at every pore with our exertions, and hearing the troop come every moment nearer on the road below.

Doubtless they knew exactly whither to go! Forced to stop and take breath when we had scrambled up fifty yards or so, I saw their lanthorns shining like moving glow-worms; I could even hear the clink of steel.

For all I could tell, the hut might be down there, and we be moving from it.

But it was too late to go back now--they were close to the fern-stack; and in despair I turned to the hill again.

A dozen steps and I stumbled.