reton forging stolidly and surely ahead. Now the ground was
soft and spongy under his feet; now it was stony and rugged; more than
once he caught an ankle in the wire-like heather and tripped, bruising
his knees. And in the end he resigned himself to keeping his eye on
Breton, outlined against the sky, and following doggedly in his
footsteps.

"Was there no other way than this?" he asked after a long interval of
silence. "Do you mean to say those two--Elphick and Cardlestone--would
take this way?"

"There is another way--down the valley, by Thwaite Bridge and Hardraw,"
answered Breton, "but it's miles and miles round. This is a straight
cut across country, and in daylight it's a delightful walk. But at
night--Gad!--here's the rain, Spargo!"

The rain came down as it does in that part of the world, with a
suddenness that was as fierce as it was heavy. The whole of the grey
night was blotted out; Spargo was only conscious that he stood in a
vast solitude and was being gradually drowned. But Breton, whose sight
was keener, and who had more knowledge of the situation dragged his
companion into the shelter of a group of rocks. He laughed a little as
they huddled closely together.

"This is a different sort of thing to pursuing detective work in Fleet
Street, Spargo," he said. "You would come on, you know."

"I'm going on if we go through cataracts and floods," answered Spargo.
"I might have been induced to stop at the 'Moor Cock' overnight if we
hadn't heard of that chap in front. If he's after those two he's
somebody who knows something. What I can't make out is--who he can be."

"Nor I," said Breton. "I can't think of anybody who knows of this
retreat. But--has it ever struck you, Spargo, that somebody beside
yourself may have been investigating?"

"Possible," replied Spargo. "One never knows. I only wish we'd been a
few hours earlier. For I wanted to have the first word with those two."

The rain ceased as suddenly as it had come. Just as suddenly the
heavens cleared. And going forward to the top of the ridge which they
were then crossing, Breton pointed an arm to something shining far away
below them.

"You see that?" he said. "That's a sheet of water lying between us and
Cotterdale. We leave that on our right hand, climb the fell beyond it,
drop down into Cotterdale, cross two more ranges of fell, and come down
into Fossdale under Lovely Seat. There's a good two hours and a half
stiff pull yet, Spargo. Think