r whole plan," urged Mr.
Berners.

"Well, then, once safe on this side of the river, Joe will drive the
cart to some convenient spot, to which I myself will guide you."

"Ah, how much trouble you take for us, Pendleton!" sighed Lyon.

"Not at all. As far as I am concerned, it is a piquant adventure. Try to
look at it in that light. Well, to our subject. When you reach the cart
you can put your wife inside, and then mount the driver's seat, and
start upon your journey like a plain old farmer going to market to sell
his produce. As you will have but the one pair of horses for the whole
journey, you will see the necessity of making very short stages, in
order to enable them to complete it."

"Certainly."

"And now listen! Because you must make these short stages and frequent
stoppages, and because you must avoid the most travelled roads, it will
be necessary for you to take a map of the State, and follow the most
direct route to Norfolk."

"Which is not the turnpike road used by the mail stagecoaches, for that
diverges frequently five or ten miles to the right or left of the line,
to take in the populous villages," put in Lyon Berners.

"Yes; I see you comprehended me! Well, I should farther advise you, when
you reach Norfolk, to put up at some obscure inn near the wharves, and
to embark in the very first ship that sails for Europe, even if it
should set sail within an hour after your arrival."

"You may rest assured that we shall not loiter in Norfolk," said Mr.
Berners.

"As for the draught horses and cart, if you have time, you can sell
them. If not, you can leave them at the livery stable, and on the day of
sailing post me a letter containing an order to receive them."

"You think of everything, dear Pendleton."

"I can't think of anything else just now," replied Captain Pendleton.

"Well, then, we will have some supper," said Sybil rising to prepare it.

"I declare, I never in all my life supped out so frequently as I have
done since you two have been housekeeping in this old Haunted Chapel!
And by the way, talking of that, have you seen any more apparitions? any
more spectral gipsy girls? or shrouded forms? or shadowy coffins? or
open vaults? eh, Mrs. Berners?" laughingly inquired Captain Pendleton.

"No, nothing unusual has disturbed us, either last night or to-day. But
now, talking of open vaults, have you brought the crowbar to force the
door, sir?" said Sybil, turning sharply to the Captain.

"Y