familiar voice say--

"What's the matter with that dog?"

"Don't know, sir. Seems to have found something, or he wouldn't go on
like that. Here! Hi! Rough, Rough, Rough!"

But the dog would not leave us. We were only friends, and he kept on
his excited bark.

"Here, Rough!" cried Mr Raydon, angrily; and at that moment we reached
the fence, fortunately for us just by the loophole.

"Over with you first," cried Esau, and I climbed rapidly to the top,
threw my legs over, lowered myself to the full extent of my arms, and
dropped lightly.

"Come across and see," came just then from the other side; and now while
I heard the rustling and scrambling noise made by Esau in climbing, as I
stood there listening with my heart beating heavily, the dog began to
bark furiously, then to growl. There was a struggling noise, and then
Esau's voice came through the crack of the paling.

"He's got hold of me tight. Run, lad, run!"

But I could not run then and leave my companion in the lurch, and I was
about to climb back when the worrying, growling sound ceased, and Esau
dropped beside me.

"Come on!" he whispered. "This way. He's got half the leg of my
trousers."

Catching my hand again we trotted on.

"Jumped at me, and held me so as I shouldn't get over," he whispered.
"Here, this way. We're right, I know."

The dog's barking was furious now, and I whispered to Esau--

"They're opening the gate."

"Hist! Don't take no notice."

For there was a shout from behind.

"Halt, there, or we fire!"

"Go on then," muttered Esau. "Sha'n't halt now. You couldn't hit us if
you tried."

"Do you hear? Halt!"

It was Mr Raydon who shouted, but I was desperate now I had gone so
far, and we kept up our trot, with Esau acting as guide. His eyes were
better than mine in the darkness.

"Fire!" came from behind now, and three flashes of light appeared for an
instant, followed by the reports of the rifles.

"Not killed me," muttered Esau, with a chuckle. But I did not laugh,
for a thought had struck me.

"Esau," I whispered; "they'll set the dog on our scent, and use him to
run us down. There, do you hear?"

For the barking of the dog began once more.

"Can we cross the river?" I said.

"No."

"Then make for the first stream and let's wade along it a little way."

"Never thought of that," muttered Esau. "Here, let's go along by the
river."

Five minutes later we were splashing along close to the edge,