at last,
though, they had come to moorland again, with only a big boulder here
and there for shelter, and when Huldah suddenly fell down, exhausted,
Dick, in his fright at seeing her lying on the ground motionless,
forgot all about hiding away. Everything but concern for his little
mistress went out of his head. Huldah, lying flat on the ground with
her head resting on her outstretched arm, her face turned away from
the pitiless sun, saw nothing. She did not want to see anything; the
desolateness of the great bare stretch of land frightened her.
She felt terribly frightened, and terribly lonely. Should she die
here, she wondered, alone! At the prospect a sob broke from her.

To poor Dick, who had crept up so close that he stood beside her,
this was too much. At the sound of her distress he was so overcome,
he could no longer keep his feelings under restraint. A bark broke
from him, eager, coaxing, half frightened; then, repentant and
ashamed, he thrust his hot nose into Huldah's hand, and licked it
apologetically.

Weary, dead-beat as she was, Huldah sprang up into a sitting
position. "Dick!" she cried, "oh, Dick! How did you come here?
Oh, I am so glad, so glad!" and flinging her arms round his long
yellow neck she burst into happy tears. Dick was delighted.
Instead of being scolded, he was petted, and his little mistress was
plainly glad to see him. He was as hungry as she was, and very
nearly as tired, but nothing mattered to him now.

"Oh, Dick, how did you come? and, oh, won't they beat us if they
catch us! and--and oh, I hope they won't beat poor old Charlie worse
than ever, because they are angry. Oh, I do wish Charlie was here
too. Poor old Charlie! he will be so lonely."

Dick wagged his tail and looked about him. Perhaps he was thinking
that Charlie might have been able to find something to eat in that
bare spot, but that it was more than they could. Huldah realised
this too, and with a sigh she scrambled on to her aching feet again.
She must find somebody to help them--a house and food of some kind.

"You shall lead the way this time, Dick. You are clever, and can
scent things out. You'll know which way to go to find houses."

It took Dick a little while to understand that he was expected to run
ahead now, not to follow, and indeed it is doubtful if he did
understand it, but a rabbit popping up ahead of them at that moment
drew him on, and Huldah more slowly followed. It was a very z