“As I was making for shore,” he went on, “swimming up the little creek I knew so well, whom should I see at the old landing where we always kept the boat, but some one else getting ready to row across; and who should it be but Jamie. I did not know him, for he was only a little chap when I last saw him, but he recognized me, and was overjoyed to see me, in spite of all my misdeeds, and we started off, when pell-mell came a party of British after me. The best thing we could do was to try to cut across and reach home the long way, instead of coming over the creek. So we landed, and at first got along very well, but the wretches, piloted by some one who knew the way, caught sight of us just before we reached here. Jamie kept encouraging me, and said if we could but get to the house it would be all right, and he reminded me of our old hiding-place; but I tripped and fell over the roots of the old locust tree, and Jamie, never thinking of saving himself, stopped to help me up. I cried out to him to go on, but he would not, and he was hit just as we reached the steps. I didn’t even know it, for he called out, ‘I’m right behind you, Tom’, and--” he stopped short and could not go on. Lettice was sobbing, her face against her brother’s broad shoulder. Betty’s tears were falling fast, and she said unsteadily, “Greater love hath no man than this.” “Go on, Tom,” said Lettice. “Our dear one is safe; oh, so safe.” “God grant that when my time comes, I shall not forget his example!” said Tom, brokenly. He was silent for a moment, and then went on with his story. “I had the wit to blow out the candle, and I ran upstairs to the little closet under the eaves at the end of the garret, that was struck by lightning and boarded up afterward; you know the place, and how it can be reached from the roof by going down the scuttle on that side.” “They hunted through the garret well,” said Betty, “but there was so much piled up this side that they never dreamed there could be any one beyond. I had forgotten the place myself, though William has often told me how you boys used to hide there and make a playroom of that end of the garret.” “Jamie had suggested it as a good place, and told me I would find it just the same, so I concealed myself till, through the chinks, I saw the rascals go off, and then as Jamie had not come, I was seized with a mighty fear for him, and could not stay. It will be sad news for our father.” “Yes; but there will be good news for him, too,” Lettice tried to comfort him by saying. “We have you again.”