they were all so thoroughly drenched, that their previous condition
might have been considered, by contrast, one of absolute dryness.

Suddenly, a stone wall, topped by a paling, barred their further
progress. Fred, who was in advance, did not see this wall--he only felt
it when it brought him up.

"Here's a gate, I believe," cried George, groping about. It _was_ a
gate, and it opened upon the road! For the first time for many hours a
gleam of hope burst in upon the benighted wanderers. Presently a ray of
light dazzled them.

"What! do my eyes deceive me--a cottage?" cried Mr Sudberry.

"Ay, and a witch inside," said George.

"Why, it's old--no, impossible!"

"Yes, it is, though--it's old Moggy's cottage."

"Hurrah!" cried Fred.

Old Moggy's dog came out with a burst of indignation that threatened
annihilation to the whole party; but, on discovering who they were, it
crept humbly back into the cottage.

"Does she never go to bed?" whispered George, as they approached and
found the old woman moping over her fire, and swaying her body to and
fro, with the thin dirty gown clinging close to her figure, and the
spotlessly clean plaid drawn tightly round her shoulders.

"Good-evening, old woman," said Mr Sudberry, advancing with a
conciliatory air.

"It's mornin'," retorted the old woman with a scowl.

"Alas! you are right; here have we been lost on the hills, and wandering
all night; and glad am I to find your fire burning, for my poor daughter
is very cold and much exhausted. May we sit down beside you?"

No reply, save a furtive scowl.

"What's that?" asked Moggy, sharply, as George deposited his dirty wet
bundle on the floor beside the fire opposite to her.

The bundle answered for itself; by slowly unrolling, sitting up and
yawning violently, at the same time raising both arms above its head and
stretching itself. Having done this, it stared round the room with a
vacant look, and finally fixed its goggle eyes in mute surprise on
Moggy.

The sight of this wet, dirty little creature acted, as formerly, like a
charm on the old woman. Her face relaxed into a smile of deep
tenderness. She immediately rose, and taking the child in her arms
carried him to her stool, and sat down with him in her lap. Jacky made
no resistance; on the contrary, he seemed to have made up his mind to
submit at once, and with a good grace, to the will of this strange old
creature--to the amazement as well as amusement o