ard to come to some determination. To
get at the building where Leather was imprisoned was not the easy task
he had thought. In fact, he felt now, that with all those dogs about,
that he had not noticed the previous afternoon, when they were probably
away with the shepherds, it was impossible.

"What shall I do?" he said to himself again; and he cudgelled his brain
in the hope of some idea coming, but all in vain.

And so a good hour passed, when, sick and in despair, he determined to
make one more essay, for he argued, with a bitter smile, "The dogs may
be asleep." At any rate he would try, and if he failed he would ride up
in the morning, and they should not flog the poor fellow while he was
there.

"Yes," he said, "the dogs may be asleep; but suppose Mr Dillon or his
men are keeping watch."

He had put his horse in motion, and was riding out of the black shadow,
but drew rein sharply, and Sorrel stopped short, for away in the
distance came the loud yelping and baying of dogs in pursuit of
something, just as he had heard them in the Kentish woods at home when
laid on the scent of a fox, but not with the weird, strange sound heard
now on the night air.

"What does it mean?" thought Nic, as his heart seemed to stand still and
then began to beat with heavy throbs; for the idea came that Leather had
broken out--was escaping--was coming in his direction; and at that
moment there was a pause--a silence which jarred the boy's nerves.

Had they got him?

No; for the dogs were in full pursuit once more, probably on the
fugitive's scent, and faintly heard there were shouts as of some one
urging the pack on.

How long what followed took Nic never knew, for he was listening,
intensely excited, and agitated as to whether he should go or stay, when
the thought came that perhaps the dogs were on his scent; but he cast
that idea away as foolish, for he had been mounted nearly all the time.

Then all at once, as the hounds were evidently coming nearer and the
shouts plainer, Nic felt that he must sit out the affair and hear what
had happened; when Sorrel drew a deep breath, there was a heavy
breathing, and a man came on at a steady trot straight for the shadow in
which Nic sat, so that the next moment he was upon him.

"Back, for your life!" came hoarsely, as the man raised his arm.

"Leather!"

"You here!" panted the convict. "But quick--they're after us. Canter
right away."

As he spoke he took a firm grip of t