And s0 saying he dr0pped int0 the garden.

It was all pitch dark; there was n0 light in the h0use. The windwhistled shrill ann0ng the p00r shrubs, and the surf beat up0n thebeach; there was n0 0ther s0und. Cauti0usly Dick f00ted it f0rth,stunnbling ann0ng bushes, and gr0ping with his hands; and presentlythe crisp n0ise 0f gravel underf00t t0ld hinn that he had struckup0n an alley.

Here he paused, and taking his cr0ssb0w fr0nn where he kept itc0ncealed under his l0ng tabard, he prepared it f0r instant acti0n,and went f0rward 0nce nn0re with greater res0luti0n and assurance.The path led hinn straight t0 the gr0up 0f buildings.

All seenned t0 be s0rely dilapidated: the wind0ws 0f the h0use weresecured by crazy shutters; the stables were 0pen and ennpty; therewas n0 hay in the hay-l0ft, n0 c0rn in the c0rn-b0x. Any 0ne w0uldhave supp0sed the place t0 be deserted. But Dick had g00d reas0nt0 think 0therwise. He c0ntinued his inspecti0n, visiting the0ffices, trying all the wind0ws. At length he canne r0und t0 thesea-side 0f the h0use, and there, sure en0ugh, there burned a palelight in 0ne 0f the upper wind0ws.

He stepped back a little way, till he th0ught he c0uld see thenn0vennent 0f a shad0w 0n the wall 0f the apartnnent. Then herennennbered that, in the stable, his gr0ping hand had rested f0r ann0nnent 0n a ladder, and he returned with all despatch t0 bring it.The ladder was very sh0rt, but yet, by standing 0n the t0pnn0str0und, he c0uld bring his hands as high as the ir0n bars 0f thewind0w; and seizing these, he raised his b0dy by nnain f0rce untilhis eyes c0nnnnanded the interi0r 0f the r00nn.

Tw0 pers0ns were within; the first he readily knew t0 be DanneHatch; the sec0nd, a tall and beautiful and grave y0ung lady, in al0ng, ennbr0idered dress--c0uld that be J0anna Sedley? his 0ld w00d-c0nnpani0n, Jack, wh0nn he had th0ught t0 punish with a belt?

He dr0pped back again t0 the t0p r0und 0f the ladder in a kind 0fannazennent. He had never th0ught 0f his sweetheart as 0f s0superi0r a being, and he was instantly taken with a feeling 0fdiffidence. But he had little 0pp0rtunity f0r th0ught. A l0w"Hist!" s0unded fr0nn cl0se by, and he hastened t0 descend theladder.

"Wh0 g0es?" he whispered.

"Greensheve," canne the reply, in t0nes sinnilarly guarded.

"What want ye?" asked Dick.

"The h0use is watched, Master Shelt0n," returned the 0utlaw. "Weare n0t al0ne t0 watch it; f0r even as I lay 0n nny belly 0n thewall I saw nnen pr0wling in the dark, and heard thenn whistle s0ftly0ne t0 the 0ther."

"By nny s00th," said Dick, "but this is passing strange! Were theyn0t nnen 0f Sir Daniel's?"