sness.

Mrs. Walsham kept her presence of mind, in spite of her bewilderment at
these sudden occurrences. She at once laid the girl on the sofa,
removed her dripping bonnet and cloak, and poured a few drops of brandy
between her lips, while she set the squire to work, to chafe her hands.
Aggie soon opened her eyes, and recovered her consciousness.

"Don't try to get up, Aggie," Mrs. Walsham said. "You are faint and
shaken with all this excitement. Your grandpapa and I were two very
foolish people, to let you come out.

"Now, Mr. Wilks, the best thing you can do, is to find a boy outside,
and send him up to the Hall, with a message that the carriage is to
come down directly.

"I think, Mr. Linthorne, she had better get back home. I should be glad
enough, as you know, to keep her here for the night; but this house is
rocking with the wind, now, and she would not be likely to get any
sleep here. I will run up and see how James is, and if he is all right,
I will come up with her and stop the night. She is very much shaken,
and had better not be alone."

Mrs. Walsham soon came downstairs again, and said that James said he
never felt better in his life, and that, by all means, she was to go up
to the Hall. She then set about and prepared a cup of tea, which
greatly restored Aggie, and, by the time the carriage arrived, the girl
was able to walk to the gate.

Mr. Wilks had offered to remain with James, but the latter would not
hear of it. The lad was, indeed, well pleased to hear that they were
all going up to the Hall, as thereby he escaped hearing any more of his
own praises. Besides, he was most anxious to get down to the beach
again, for no one could say what might take place there before morning.

As soon, therefore, as he heard the door close, he jumped out of bed,
and when, peeping through the blinds, he saw the carriage drive off
with its four occupants, he at once began to dress. He felt bruised and
sore from the blows he had received, and a red wheal round his chest,
beneath the arms, showed where the rope had almost cut into the flesh.
However, he soon dressed himself, and descended the stairs, went into
the kitchen, and told the astonished girl that he was going out; then,
having made a hasty meal of bread and cold meat, he put on his oilskins
again, and started for the shore.

He did not, however, wait long. So heavy was the sea, now, that nothing
whatever could be done should any vessel drive ashore, and