ot tossed for nothin', p'raps, if we'd gone on."

They walked on down the road till they came to a pair of iron gates
and a drive that led up to a big house. William's spirits rose. His
hunger was forgotten.

"Come on!" he said. "We might find someone to rescue here. It looks
like a place where there might be someone to rescue."

There was no one in the garden to question the right of entry of two
small boys armed with a bugle and a toy pistol. Unchallenged they
went up to the house. While the knight was wondering whether to blow
his bugle at the front door or by the open window, they caught sight
suddenly of a vision inside the window. It was a girl as fair and slim
and beautiful as any wandering knight could desire. And she was
speaking fast and passionately.

William, ready for all contingencies, marshalled his forces.

"Follow me!" he whispered and crept on all fours nearer the window.
They could see a man now, an elderly man with white hair and a white
beard.

"And how long will you keep me in this vile prison?" she was saying in
a voice that trembled with anger, "base wretch that you are!"

"Crumbs!" ejaculated William.

"Ha! Ha!" sneered the man. "I have you in my power. I will keep you
here a prisoner till you sign the paper which will make me master of
all your wealth, and beware, girl, if you do not sign, you may answer
for it with your life!"

"Golly!" murmured William.

Then he crawled away into the bushes, followed by his attendant
squire.

"Well," said William, his face purple with excitement, "we've found
someone to rescue all _right_. He's a base wretch, wot she said, all
_right_."

"Will you kill him?" said the awed squire.

"How big was he? Could you see?" said William the discreet.

"He was ever so big. Great big face he had, too, with a beard."

"Then I won't try killin' him--not straight off. I'll think of some
plan--somethin' cunnin'."

[Illustration: WILLIAM AND GINGER FOLLOWED ON ALL FOURS WITH ELABORATE
CAUTION.]

He sat with his chin on his hands, gazing into space, till they were
surprised by the opening of the front door and the appearance of a
tall, thick-set, elderly man. William quivered with excitement. The
man went along a path through the bushes. William and Ginger followed
on all fours with elaborate caution. At every almost inaudible sound
from Ginger, William turned his red, frowning face on to him with a
resounding "Sh!" The path ended at a small shed with a l