be stopped!" he cried, with a
display of energy such as he had not before shown that day; and,
snatching up his jacket, he started off in the direction taken by the
lads, he having had no difficulty in seeing that their aim was the mass
of slaty rock, rounded and covered with short green turf, known as the
Rill Head, up which he climbed just in time to shout down the grassy
crevice the words which sent joy into the boys' hearts.

"Hurrah! There's help!" cried Scarlett, starting up.

"Mind! you nearly knocked me over."

"I could not help it, Fred. Here, hi!"

"Anybody at home? Where are you?"

"Why, it's old Samson," cried Fred, groping his way to where he believed
the bottom of the crack by which they had descended to be. "Hi!
Samson!"

"Hullo!" came back. "Where are you? What are you doing?"

Fred hastily explained their plight.

"Serve you both right," cried Samson; and his voice, as it rumbled down
the hole into the cavern, sounded, as Scarlett thought, like the voice
of a giant. "Well, what are you going to do? Live there?"

"No; you must help us out."

"Help you out?"

"Yes. How did you know we were here?"

"How did I know you were there, indeed!" growled Samson, with
aggravating repetition of the other's words. "Why, I knowed you'd be in
some mischief as soon as I saw you both go by with that rope."

"But you didn't see us come down here."

"No; but I see your clothes lying aside the hole. What did you want
here? Somebody's sheep tumbled down again?"

"Hear that?" whispered Fred. "No, Samson; but don't stand there
talking. Did you bring a rope?"

"How could I bring the rope, when you'd got it?"

"Go and fetch another."

"There isn't one that'll bear you. Can't you throw up the end of that
one?"

"Impossible! You must fetch another."

"And who's to do my gardening while I'm hunting all over Coombeland for
ropes as nobody won't lend?"

"Look here, Samson," cried Scarlett. "Go up to the Hall, and ask Nat to
lend you one of ours."

"Go up and ask my brother Nat to lend me a rope?"

"Yes."

"I'd sooner go and jump off the cliff. There!"

"Well, you must do something, and pray make haste."

"What am I to do?"

"I know," cried Fred. "Go and get your garden line."

"Why, that wouldn't bear a cat, let alone a boy like you."

"You do as I tell you, and bring a big round stone, too, one that you
can tie to one end of the line. Be quick."

"Oh, I'll go," said Samso