itchery was about them, for the mist became so dense
that the clouds seemed to have dropped down to encompass and enfold
them. The stream gradually became deeper, until the foremost horse was
wading to the belly, labouring and snorting from the chillness and
oppression upon his chest.

"'Tis an unlucky and an embarrassing escort that we are favoured
with," said the rider. "The wind, too, whiffles about strangely. 'Tis
on my face, now, and verily I think the stream will ne'er be crossed.
I trust we are not wading it down towards the sea."

"Troth but we be, though," hastily replied his friend, after looking
down, bending as low as possible to observe his horse's feet, where
he could just discern the gouts of foam as they ran right before,
instead of passing them from left to right.

"Put back--put back, and soon!" he cried, in great alarm; for the mist
bewildered them strangely. They did put back, but instead of all
obeying the same impulse, some of the party, finding themselves on
opposite sides of the stream, were plunging and replunging into it, to
rejoin their comrades, every one calling out for his neighbour to
follow; so that, in the end, the whole party were so confused that, on
being gathered together once more on the sand, they really knew not on
which side of the stream they stood, nor which way to move. They
seemed like persons discoursing in a dream, and the mist hung about
them so closely that they could not, even by dismounting, see the
marks of their own footsteps. They felt that they were standing on a
bank of sand, which they knew must inevitably, and ere long, be
covered by the raging tide, even then, perhaps, on its way to
overwhelm and devour them. But this was the utmost of their knowlege,
for the direction in which to proceed, or the bearing of either shore,
was beyond their knowledge or apprehension. They would now have been
glad to retrace their steps, but this, alas! they knew not how to
accomplish. To remain would be certain destruction; to go on, might
only be hastening to meet it. But move they must, as the only chance
of escape; yet opinions were as various as the points of the compass.
One was for going to the right, another to the left, another straight
forward; so that, what with arguing and wrangling, they became more
bewilderd and uncertain than ever.

"I do verily believe we have not yet crossed the river," said one.

"Not come across!" replied another; "why we've been through and