inding my feet at once, I made for the hedge, scrambling through it as
Tiger began to give tongue. Turning to the left on the other side, I ran
with all my might until I floundered into a wet ditch. Over a second
hedge I scrambled, across a meadow with sleeping cows and calves, which
rose at my approach, looking rather ghostly as they crowded together in
a bunch. I clambered over gates, floundered into other ditches, and
presently found myself entering the completer darkness of a wood, on the
other side of which came a park, then more fields, until I began to
pant, and to think that Mr. Baker's farm was sufficiently far behind for
safety.

How long I had been running I have no idea, but the moon was fast
sinking towards the horizon, and, before it disappeared altogether, it
seemed advisable to find a place where I might secure some much-needed
sleep. In a large field I espied a wooden shelter--intended, no doubt,
for cattle--and open at one side. This being empty I entered, and was
fortunate enough to find a goodly heap of dry clover in a corner.
Spreading this out over the ground, without more ado I threw myself,
just as I was, at full length upon it, too weary to think or to do
anything but fall at once asleep.

CHAPTER VIII.

I must have slept for many hours in the shed, for, when I opened my
eyes, the sun was high in the sky. I think it must have been past ten
o'clock, and it took some minutes before I could succeed in determining
which of my recent experiences were real, and which the result of
dreams. Little by little I began to put together the circumstances,
which had occurred since yesterday morning, in their proper order, and
my cheeks tingled with shame as I tried to imagine the feelings of Mr.
Baker and Eliza when they discovered my flight. They had treated me with
genuine kindness, and it must appear that I had repaid them with the
basest ingratitude; while yet I cannot pretend to have repented of my
flight from the farm-house, for I knew that, in similar circumstances, I
should act in the same way.

At first I felt tempted to lie down and go to sleep again, but this
might be to run no little risk. It was impossible to decide whether I
was still on Mr. Baker's land or not, for, although I had covered some
miles last night, there was no proof that I had run in a straight line,
and it seemed quite likely that I had described something resembling a
circle.

So I rose and stood gazing down at my l