The wretched Brown was so _bouleverse_ by the unexpected apparition that
he stood fast, gaping wonderfully, upon the second rung. It was lucky
that he had climbed no higher, for the cascade that fell with unerring
aim fairly upon his countenance was the best part of a gallon of water.
Apart from the hydraulic force exerted the wanton suddenness of the
attack must have dashed him to the ground. He fell prone upon the grass,
striving to disburden himself of an unwanted draft, pitiable, a
spluttering ruin of a conspirator.

"_Glwhtt!_" said Robert from behind the hand of Tony. He was nigh to
bursting with suppressed emotion. "_Glwhtt! oh! glwhtt!_"

Tony, too, found it hard to keep himself in hand. Despite his
disappointment at beholding his fair hopes frustrated, it was no easy
task to check the laugh. To see a man, bold, confident, assured of
success, in one moment converted into a sodden and convulsive mass,
weltering upon the lawn--it was catastrophic. If incongruity be the
basis of the comic spirit, it was here with a vengeance.

"With a vengeance." The thought was impelled by the quick hurry of
events. Brown, after gaspy flounderings for half a minute, recovered
himself and stood erect. He shook an Olympian fist in powerless wrath
toward the window, breathed a crimson oath that might have scorched the
stars, and ran blunderingly toward the wall. He made for his point of
entry by a straight path and dashed blindly through the elders. In his
headlong course he trod convincingly on Robert's fingers, but sped on,
heedless of the yelp of pain. "_Ahoo!_" whooped Mr. Hedderwick, leaping
in his agony, unrecking of the consequences. "_Ahoo! Ahoo!_" He was
wringing his hands in an ecstasy of anguish as Lionel came bursting from
the house, a heavy walking-stick in his hand.

"The wall quick!" said Tony, seizing him by the arm. They had a start of
thirty yards: Brown was over the wall and out of sight by this time, and
there was still hope of escape. Had Tony been alone he would have got
away, for they reached the wall well ahead of the frantic Lionel, aflame
for blood. But chivalry forced him to let Robert climb first. "Up you
go!" he said, thrusting the adventurous churchwarden upon the roller.
There were no spikes to help or hinder on the inner wall. Robert caught
hold of the top bricks and scrabbled piteously with his toes, searching
for a foothold. Tony shoved fiercely from beneath, the thought of prison
or the bowstr