The man said he would gladly carry the "brave little maid," and lifting Dora in his strong arms, he bore her away without more to-do, whilst the boys followed in silence, each occupied with his own thoughts. Gerald found some difficulty in keeping up with the others, for his legs trembled and his clothes were heavy with water, besides which, he was getting colder and colder. Reginald Hope was the first to speak, and certainly his words were an astonishment to his companions, coming as they did from one who had always held a wonderfully good opinion of himself. "I am a coward," he said briefly, but with conviction in his tone. "I never even guessed it till to-day. I was afraid to go to Willis' assistance, but your little sister wasn't, Mickle. I'm a selfish brute. How you must despise me!" "I don't despise you at all," Gilbert answered, "but—well, you were very frightened, and you lost your head." At this moment Gerald, who was feeling very shaky, and whose nerves had received a shock, burst into a flood of tears. "It would have been my fault if Dora had been drowned," he sobbed. "I never ought to have gone to the clay pits at all." "Why did you, when you had been forbidden to go there?" Gilbert very naturally inquired. "I made him," Reginald Hope acknowledged; "it was entirely my doing." After that no more was said upon the subject. The high road was reached at length, where the party divided, Gilbert hurrying on ahead of the sturdy labourer, who carried his light burden with no apparent effort, whilst Reginald accompanied Gerald home, and thoughtfully promised, before parting with him at the gate of Haresdown House, to return later on and inform him what his father thought of Dora, for he felt certain the Mickles would send for Dr. Hope at once. The storm, which had been gathering all the evening, now broke. The rain began to descend in torrents, and streaks of lightning lit up the angry sky, whilst the thunder pealed overhead. Angel, growing very anxious at her brother's absence, for she had not the least idea where he had gone, and a little nervous at the storm, had sought company in the kitchen, when the front door was opened, and Gerald himself staggered into the house. The little girl ran into the hall to meet him, and her startled cry brought Mrs. Vallance and Polly upon the scene. At first Gerald was utterly incapable of giving an account of what had occurred, and it was not until he was safely in bed, and the hot milk the housekeeper had insisted on his drinking was beginning to bring warmth back to his chilled frame, that he was able to enter into any explanations.