go
down to our country place, and may remain there some weeks. I may
say that it was the desire to get your affair finished, before we
left town, that conduced somewhat to the speed with which it has
been carried through."

After again thanking the duke most warmly for his kindness, and
saying that they would lay his offer before their fathers, and that
their own inclinations were altogether in favour of accepting it,
the young men took their leave.

"It is unfortunate about Dormay."

"Most unfortunate," Harry said.

"I think, if we start tomorrow morning, Harry, we shall be in time.
There is no reason why the messenger should travel at any
extraordinary speed, and, as he may be detained at Lancaster, and
some delay may arise before officers are sent up to Lynnwood to
make the arrest, we may be in time.

"We must take a note of the date. It is one we shall remember all
our lives. It is the 25th of November, and we will keep it up as a
day of festivity and rejoicing, as long as we live."

"That will we," Harry agreed. "It shall be the occasion of an
annual gathering of those who got into trouble from those suppers
at Sir Marmaduke's. I fancy the others are all in France, but their
friends will surely be able to let them know, as soon as they hear
the good news.

"I think we shall have a stormy ride tomorrow. The sky looks very
wild and threatening."

"It does, indeed; and the wind has got up very much, in the last
hour.''

"Yes, we are going to have a storm, beyond all doubt."

The wind got up hourly, and when, before going to bed, they went to
pass an hour at a tavern, they had difficulty in making their way
against it. Several times in the night they were awoke by the
gusts, which shook the whole house, and they heard the crashing of
falling chimney pots above the din of the gale.

They had arranged to start as soon as it was light, and had, the
evening before, been to a posting inn, and engaged a carriage with
four horses for the journey down to Lancashire.

"There is no starting today, gentlemen," the landlord said, as they
went down to breakfast by candlelight. "I have looked out, and the
street is strewn with chimney pots and tiles. Never do I remember
such a gale, and hour by hour it seems to get worse. Why, it is
dangerous to go across the street."

"Well, we must try," Charlie said, "whatever the weather. It is a
matter of almost life and death."

"Well, gentlemen, you must please yourselves