hut; the roof was formed of an old boat turned bottom
upwards, and this had been covered with brown turf. It was an excellent
place of concealment, as searchers might have passed within a foot of
the bushes without suspecting that aught lay concealed within them.

"A clever hiding place," Walter thought to himself. "No wonder the posse
search these swamps in vain. This is the lowest and wettest part of the
swamp, and would be but lightly searched, for none would suspect that
there was a human habitation among these brown ditches and stagnant
pools."

To his disappointment the lad could hear nothing of the conversation
which was going on within the hut. The murmur of voices came to his ear,
but no words were audible; however, he remained patiently, thinking that
perhaps as they came out a word might be said which would give him a
clue to the object of the mysterious interview between a knight and one
who was evidently a fugitive from justice.

His patience was rewarded. In the half hour which he waited the night
had fallen, and a thick fog which was rising over the swamps rendered it
difficult to discern anything at the distance of a few paces.

"You are quite sure that you can manage it?" a voice said as the two men
issued from the hut.

"There is no difficulty in managing it," the other replied, "if the boat
is punctual to the hour named. It will be getting dusk then, and if one
boat runs into another no one need be surprised. Such accidents will
happen."

"They will be here just before nightfall," the other said, "and you will
know the boat by the white mantle the lady will wear. The reward will be
fifty pieces of gold, of which you have received ten as earnest. You
can trust me, and if the job be well done I shall take no count of the
earnest money.

"You may consider it as good as done," the other replied. "If the boat
is there the matter is settled. Now I will lead you back across the
swamps. I would not give much for your life if you tried to find the way
alone. Who would have thought when you got me off from being hung,
after that little affair at Bruges, that I should be able to make myself
useful to your worship?"

"You may be sure," the knight replied, "that it was just because I
foresaw that you might be useful that I opened the doors of your cell
that night. It is always handy in times like these to be able to lay
one's hand on a man whom you can hang if you choose to open your mouth."

"Did it n