d more breathless every moment,
while he began to lose heart as he heard the artist shouting to him to
stop.

"Here, Will," he cried, "which way had I better go? Up the long crack,
or make for the fox's path?"

"One's as bad as the other," cried Will. "Fox's path. Here, go on
faster. Let me lead; I know the way best. I never saw such an old
chucklehead. Why did you come this way?"

He brushed by his companion as he spoke, his legs making a whishing
sound as he tore through clumps of fern and brake, running on and on
over the rapidly-rising ground till the path was at an end, and they
drew closer to a spot where the rocks closed in, forming a _cul de sac_,
unless they were willing to take a leap of some twenty feet into a deep
pool, or climb up the rocky wall just in front.

"We can't jump," panted Will.

"No," half whispered Josh. "Oh, what a mess we are in! You will have
to beg his pardon, Will."

"You'll have to hold your tongue, or else we shall be caught. It's all
right; come on. I can get up here."

The boy proved it by springing at the rocky face, catching a projecting
block and the tufts of heath and heather, kicking down earth and stone
as he rose, and scrambling up some fifteen feet before gaining a
resting-place, to pause for a moment to look down and see how his
companion was getting on.

To his horror, Josh was almost at the bottom of the wall, and, scarlet
with fury and exertion, the artist panting heavily about two score yards
behind.

"I've got you, you dogs! It's no use, I've got you!"

"Oh!" groaned Will, ready to give up, wondering the while whether the
artist would thrash him with his elastic maul-stick.

"No, he hasn't," cried Josh. "Run, run! Never mind me."

"Shan't run," snarled Will, between his teeth. "Here, catch hold of my
hands."

He lay down on his chest, hooking his feet in amongst the tough roots of
the heather.

"Come on, I tell you! Catch hold."

Obeying the stronger will, Josh made a desperate scramble, putting into
it all the strength he had left, and, regardless of the angry shouts of
the artist, he scrambled up sufficiently high for Will to grasp him by
the wrists. He could do no more, for his feet slipped from beneath him,
and he hung helpless, and at full length, completely crippling his
companion, who had the full weight dependent on his own failing
strength.

Encouraged by this, the breathless artist made his final rush, and
succeeded in get