eral patches of woods to be passed. Several times they halted,
endeavoring to ascertain if they were being pursued. But all remained
silent. The snow was now coming down more thickly than ever.

"What a lot of adventures we have had in these woods," observed Tom,
during one of the halts. "Don't you remember the tramp who stole the
watch, and the rows with Josiah Crabtree and with Arnold Baxter and
Dan?"

"Indeed I do," said Sam. "Mrs. Stanhope and Dora must be glad to be rid
of old Crabtree and Arnold Baxter."

"It's a pity Dan Baxter wasn't locked up with his father," said Dick.
"Don't you remember how he used to bother Dora and the Laning girls?"

"Do you think he'd bother them now?" asked Sam. "If he bothers Grace
Laning he had better look out for me."

"That's right, Sam, stand up for your own particular girl----" began
Tom.

"I didn't say she was my girl," cried Sam, and he was glad that the
darkness hid his red-growing face. "I'm no more sweet on her than you
are on her sister Nellie."

"It's Dick who must lead off, with Dora Stanhope----" went on Tom.

"Oh, stow it, and come on!" burst in Dick. "If you keep on talking
you'll surely be caught. Grinder may be coming after us in a carriage."

"If we had our bicycles we could get there in no time," said Sam.

"Yes, and we might break our necks in the dark," added Dick. "Come, we
haven't more than a mile further to go."

On the three trudged, through the snow, which was coming down faster
each instant. Once they thought they heard carriage wheels behind them,
but soon the sounds faded away in the distance.

At last they came in sight of the Stanhope cottage. A bright light was
streaming from the sitting-room windows, and looking in they saw Dora
sitting at the table reading a book, and Mrs. Stanhope resting
comfortably in an easy-chair in front of the bright-burning fire.

Dora herself came to the door in answer to their ring. "Why, mamma, it's
the Rovers!" she cried, as she shook hands, "I never expected to see
you to-night, in such a snowstorm. How kind of Captain Putnam to let you
come."

"The captain had nothing to do with it," answered Dick, as he gave her
hand an extra squeeze, which he somehow thought she returned. "We came
because we were having a lot of trouble, and didn't know what else to
do."

"More trouble!" came from Mrs. Stanhope, as she also greeted them. "I
was hoping all our troubles were a thing of the past."

"This isn't any tro