"

"Then we will explore along the north side, keeping the fence between us.
I've got a handful of men over there in the orchard. If you are both
ready we'll go."

I took a look myself at Tom's rope-tying, and found it satisfactory.
Indeed, in remembrance of my own suffering, I even loosened the strain a
little, confident the fellow could never free himself unaided. Then the
three of us, Mortimer armed with his late guard's gun, crawled up over
the edge of the bank, ran without stopping across the open space, and
crouched in the shadow of the fence. It was still dark, although a faint
gray tinged the eastern sky-line, barely perceptible through the
intervening trees. The great house, a hundred yards away, was but a
blurred outline, distinguishable by the lights shining out through open
windows. At that distance no sound reached us. However, if Mortimer was
right, the way would be clear for our passage along the front, under
shelter of the fence, even though a sentry was posted there, and we could
creep up to the walls on the opposite side unobserved. All we needed to
do was to advance with caution. Whispering directions into the ears of
the others, I moved forward slowly, Mortimer close to my shoulder. I
could see across the top rail of the fence, and the open space beyond
yielded no point of concealment.

"Tell me the rest of your story," I said, speaking softly, "as we go
along. Where did Fagin take you?"

"To a sand cave; we rode a night and a day to get there."

"Treat you all right?"

"Well as he could, I suppose. I had enough to eat, but was guarded
closely, and the fellows were a bit rough."

"Did you gain no inkling of what they were up to?"

"No; the men I saw knew nothing, or pretended not to. I only saw Fagin
twice. Once he came to assure himself that I was really myself. Somebody
told him I was with Delavan in a fight over near Lone Tree."

"That was your sister."

"What! You don't mean it was Claire?"

"But I do. I chanced to be in that affair myself, and saw her. Later she,
with three others--Peter, an Indian, and an Irishman--captured me,
mistaking me for some one else, and took me to Elmhurst. As soon as she
learned my identity she acknowledged her error. But I have not learned
yet why she was with Delavan, or for whom she mistook me."

The lad drew in his breath sharply, gripping me by the shoulder.

"By the Lord Harry!" he exclaimed excitedly. "There isn't another girl in
the Colonies w