They had passed Downhill, and were getting on, as well as their horses could, through the muddy ground at the bottom, freshly stirred up by a previous wet day. Before them was a steep, short ascent, but at the bottom of this there was a sudden stop. The captain put his head in at the window and said, "Only the cart--no harm," and strode on following Mr Harford, while the ladies craned their heads out, and Dora, exclaiming "An accident," ran after him, and Mary only just withheld Sophy, in consideration of her white dress, on the post-boy's assurance, with a scarcely suppressed grin, "No harm done, ma'am. Only they lads." For what the two gentlemen and the amused post-boy had seen was this. The squadron of boys had overtaken the cart full of girls, when, just as the waggon had come to the pitch of the hill, all the load of maidens were seen tumbling out at the back, and as the horses of the chariot halted, the girls' screams, mingled with the horse-laughter of the boys, was plainly to be heard. Only Susan Pucklechurch, sitting on the front seat with her father, remained in her place. The girls were giggling and helping one another up, nearly all unhurt, but some very angry, and Bessy Linwood was scolding violently, Pucklechurch likewise in his most growling voice, "Ye young good-for-noughts! I'll lay the cart whip about your idle, mischievous backs," while the party of boys were still laughing, and one voice was heard to shout, "Rubbish shot here." A peal of laughter followed, but was cut short by Bessy Linwood's, "Here's parson; you'll catch it." Then, at the top of her voice, "Sir, 'tis them boys! They've bin and pulled out the linch-pins and shot us all down into the mud!" "Is this so?" said the captain sternly, while silence came down on the party, except for the sobs of Jenny Hewlett, who had gone into a dirty pool, and whom Rachel Mole and Betsy Seddon were brushing down vigorously. "Quite true, sir," returned Pucklechurch. "They young dogs got behind, and played the poor maids this trick." "Who did?" demanded Mr Harford. Bessy Linwood spoke up and said it was "all on 'em," but she saw Fred Allen at it. No doubt, the fun of the thing had been too much for the boys, in their holiday mood of thoughtlessness, and they stood looking sheepish, but Mr Harford was very stern and sharp with them. "Lads, do you think that, if you could play such a trick, you can be in a fit state to take solemn vows upon you?" No one spoke up except Fred Allen. "We didn't do 'em no harm," he said. "No harm! To disturb all good thoughts in their minds and your own, and drive out all serious impressions by this mischievous trick! Now, will any one come forward and say he is sorry?" Mr Harford waited, but no one stirred. He bade the girls get in again, and Pucklechurch drive them on. He waited again, but no one spoke. Indeed, Allen and another big youth were seen making for a gap in the hedge.