I shall make nothing of it."
Oswald made no opposition and, a minute later, the shirts and doublets
were made into a bundle, and bound on Roger's head. He waded into the
water until it reached his chin, and then swam out. The distance to be
traversed was but some fifteen yards, and a few strokes of his brawny
arms brought him to the opposite bank. Having laid down his bundle
there, he swam quickly back again.
"Are you ready, girls?" Oswald asked.
"Yes," Janet replied, and two white figures came out from the bushes,
each carrying a bundle.
"Do you go into the bushes again, for a minute. We cannot take you and
the bundles over together; and it is better that you should stand here,
in dry things, than wait in wet ones, over there."
A minute sufficed to tie the bundles on the heads of the two men. They
soon swam across to the other side, left them there, and returned.
"The water is bitterly cold for the girls," Oswald said, as they swam
across together.
"It is, master, but they will only be in it for a minute, and they will
soon be warm again."
"Now, girls."
"We have just heard the sound of horses in the distance, Oswald," Janet
said.
He listened.
"Sound travels far, this still night," he said; "they can only just
have started.
Pages:
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339