story. Well, the bill came from the Bulverton hospital,
and was duly settled by Dr. Willett, and all things fell into their
usual train, save that Oscar, being unfit for study, and Dick away at
school, had rather a dull time of it.

The weather was glorious, and of course he roamed about, and went some
excursions with Inna, Jenny, and the donkey and cart, the twins from the
Owl's Nest sometimes swelling the number; but an outing with a pack of
girls, as he said, was but a very tame affair, and often he sighed for
midsummer and Dick.

Both came at last, as all good things are said to do to the waiting
ones, and the meeting on the Lakely platform was almost overwhelming as
Dick sprang out among them all; Oscar and the four girls clustering
round him like bees, while Rameses, with the cart at a respectful
distance, stretched out his neck, and brayed such a note of welcome,
that the attendant porter laughed till he held his sides. With Dick's
coming, the state of affairs looked up--here, there, and everywhere went
the two boys, not always with a string of girls after them, as Dick
slightingly expressed it.

Once, according to their own words, they took revenge upon the old Tor,
and had picnics upon its wind-swept heights in a body; but where the
revenge lay they themselves best knew. But the girls looked down the
Ugly Leap with awe, Oscar, with his scarred forehead, looking down with
the rest. A wonderfully clear view they had of the sea and the Swallow's
Cliff.

"I say," cried Dick, the happy thought striking him as he gazed,
"couldn't we take the girls over as far as the cliffs and the sea?
They've never been there, you know, Willett, and 'twouldn't be too far,
if we took old Rameses and the cart."

"Just a nice little outing," agreed Oscar; and down they all sat in
council to sketch out the programme, to use their own words.

CHAPTER X.

THE EXPEDITION TO SWALLOW'S CLIFF--CAUGHT BY THE TIDE.

"How far is it?" was Inna's leading question.

"Three miles as the crow flies," returned Dick.

"It would be delightful," smiled she.

"It would be jolly," said Jenny, using a word of Dick's.

"And I hope grand-auntie will let us go," sighed Sybil.

"Oh, she'll be sure to if I stand surety for your safety, like a good
old grandfather," Dick assured them. "And, I say, it ought to be
to-morrow, Willett," he suggested.

"Short notice."

"Yes; but it can be done. I'll see Madame Giche on our way home."

So