too buoyant to remain depressed, and each was glad to
take any opportunity of rallying from the strokes of adverse fortune.
Thus each was able to assist the other bravely in the noble effort to
rise superior to circumstances.

"This is a bore," said Harry, "a beastly bore! I know what I should
like to do--I should walk, if it were not that I very much prefer
being with you."

"But I should like to walk too," said Katie. "Do you think they will
let us, Mr. Rivers? It would be too lovely!"

"Will you, really?" said Harry, in a joyous voice. "Oh, they'll let
us, fast enough. I'll ask."

So Harry asked, and permission was granted readily enough, for the
mules could then go on faster, and there was no danger of these two
escaping from twenty armed men. Accordingly, Harry got out and
assisted Katie in the usual way, namely, by lifting her down. They
then fell behind the wagon, walking along at a slow pace, having this
advantage, that, although they were not making any greater progress
than before, they were left more to themselves, and were under less
restraint.

"Do you like this?" asked Harry, as they trudged along.

"Oh, very much indeed."

"It's better than the wagon, isn't it?"

"I'm so _awfully_ tired of the wagon!" said Katie.

"And we can talk without being overheard," said Harry. "Of course I
don't mean to say that we say anything that everybody mightn't hear;
but then, you know, Miss Westlotorn, one can talk much more freely
when one isn't surrounded by a coldly critical audience."

At this Katie laughed, and stole a shy, sidelong glance at him, as
though she suspected some deeper meaning in his words than that which
appeared on the surface.

"Do you feel very much frightened at this adventure?" continued
Harry.

"Me frightened?" said Katie. "Not at all. What an idea!"

"Really not?"

"No, really. Do you know, I'm rather fond of adventures."

"But isn't this a little too serious?"

"Why, Mr. Rivers, I'm sure I think it's delightful. These men are
Carlists, and all Carlists are gentlemen. I dote on Carlists--I do,
really."

"Well, so do I--if you do," said Harry, laughingly; "only you must
allow that it isn't a very gentlemanly thing to stop us on our
journey, relieve us of our purses, and carry us off to parts unknown
in a mule-cart."

"Oh, you shouldn't look at it in that light. That's too awfully
prosaic. Now I'm romantic, and I'm positively grateful to them for
providing me with such a