m
off as quiet as if they was babies in a cradle."

It was a huge joke to those upon the bank, but upon the unconscious
occupants of the craft it was wasted. They stirred neither hand nor
eyelid, but, locked firmly in the arms of Morpheus, glided down the
river, totally unmindful of the shouts which followed them and of the
angry "Boat ahead! Where are you coming to? Steer to the left!" which
was hurled at them on more than one occasion. Suddenly a louder shout
awoke Phil, and, sitting up with a start, he stared around, his eyes
wide-open with astonishment, to find that he and Tony were drifting in
midstream past the Brocas, and were already within 50 feet of the
bridge.

"Why, we're adrift!" he exclaimed in a bewildered tone. "Here, Tony,
wake up or we shall be on the bridge!"

"Eh, what!" grunted Tony, rubbing his eyes. "Adrift! What's that row
about?"

The shout which had aroused Phil was repeated at that moment and, taken
up immediately, assumed a perfect roar, in the intervals of which a loud
clattering as of wheels rapidly passing over cobble stones, and the
stamp of horses' hoofs were heard.

"Sounds like a cart or something coming down the street," said Phil.
"Look out, Tony, something's wrong!"

As Phil spoke the clatter of hoofs and wheels became deafening, and
before either could realise what was happening, two maddened horses
dashed on to the bridge, dragging a carriage after them in which a
gentleman was seated. On the back of one of the beasts was a postilion,
and before Phil had time to exclaim, "It's a royal carriage!" the
vehicle had collided with a cart coming in the opposite direction, there
was a crash and a sound of breaking woodwork, and next second rider and
passenger were shot as if from a catapult over the low rail of the
bridge into the water.

"Quick! get your paddle out!" cried Phil, snatching one up and plunging
it into the water.

Tony, now fully awake, sprang up and hastily obeyed, but with such
vigour that he swung the boat round till it lay across the stream. Next
moment, driven by the swirl of the water, it was hurled against a
support of the bridge and capsized immediately.

When Phil rose to the surface a few seconds later, and had shaken the
water from his eyes, he saw the boat shooting bottom-uppermost through
the archway of the bridge, with Tony clinging to it. The stream had
already swept him through, and just in front of him, splashing
helplessly, was the u