moment, for the old man
pressed the second musket into his hand and urged him towards the door.

"Can you get up, comrade?" whispered Punch, who was now all excited
action.

"Yes," came in a hoarse whisper, and a loud creak came from the ceiling.

"Ketch hold of these guns then. He wants me to bring the
forage-basket.--Got 'em?" he continued, as he placed the two pieces
together and held them up against the ladder.

"_Bonum_!" ejaculated the priest, who stood close up, as the two muskets
were drawn upwards and disappeared.

"Right, sir," said Punch in answer, and he took hold of the basket,
raised it above his head, took a step or two, then whispered, "Basket!
Got it, comrade?"

"Yes," And it was drawn up after the muskets, the boards overhead
creaking loudly the while.

"Anything else, master?--What, take this 'ere jar of water? Right! Of
course! Here, comrade, you must look out now. Lean down and catch hold
of the jar; and take care as you don't slop it over."

"_Presto_!" whispered the priest.

"Hi, presto!" muttered Punch. "That's what the conjuror said," he
continued to himself, "and it means, `Look sharp!' Got it, comrade?"

"Yes," came in Pen's eager whisper.

"Oh, I say," muttered Punch, "I don't want my face washed!"

"_Bonum! Presto_!" whispered the priest, as Punch shrank back with his
face dripping; and, pressing the boy into the opening, he closed the
door upon him and then hurried to the cottage entrance, took down the
bar, throw the door wide, and then began slowly to strike a light, after
placing a lamp upon the rough table.

By this time Punch had reached the little loft-like chamber, where Pen
was lying beside the water-vessel.

"What game's this, comrade?" he whispered, breathless with his
exertions.

"Hist! Hist!" came from below.

"It's all very fine," muttered Punch to himself; and he changed his
position, with the result that the boards upon which he knelt creaked
once more.

"Hist! Hist!" came again from below.

"Oh, all right then. I hear you," muttered the boy; and he cautiously
drew himself to where he could place his eye to a large hole from which
a knot in the plank had fallen out, so that he could now see what was
going on below.

"Here, this caps me," he said to himself. "I don't want to think he's a
bad un, but he's took down the bar and shoved the door wide-open. It
don't mean, do it, that he's sent for some one to come and take us? No,
or he woul