Part 14 (1/2)

”What! don't you know lishmen!” she exclaimed; and she opened the

Bill jumped in

”I am so happy to see you!” she cried ”Where have you come from? And your friend Jack, where is he? Have you both escaped froo;” and Jeannette put sothem He, however, soon contrived to let her know all that had happened, and then inquired for her father and mother and brother

”Mother is in bed, quite ill,” she said; ”she was so frightened by the soldiers, expecting to be carried off to prison, that she has not got over it My father and Pierre are out fishi+ng I expect theht, but they said that they should be out later than usual”

”I should like to stop and see the to eat? I am nearly starved”

”Of course,” cried Jeannette; and she quickly placed some food before Bill, which he as quickly attacked

”Well, you are hungry!” she observed, ”but eat away I wish I had known before how near you were to us, and I would have brought you provisions”

”Can you bring theet off, we shall soon be hungry again”

”Of course I will,” she answered; ”but it would not be safe forthem all the way to the cave I knoever, a place much nearer this where I could hide them, and you can come and fetch them”

”But how am I to know the place?” asked Bill

”I will describe it to you,” answered Jeannette ”You re, a break in the cliff, with a streaht side of the streah-water h for one person to creep in I took shelter there once when I was a little girl, having been caught in a stor the sands so I reht he could find the place, and would look for it as he went back Jeannette pro tide went down, so that Bill would know exactly when to go and fetch the food He thanked her very much, and promised to follow her directions

He then asked her about a boat, but she could say nothing till her father and Pierre returned They ht know of one, but as there was very s restored to her owner, while the boys were not likely to have thefor her, she was doubtful

”As to that,” said Bill, ”we shall have plenty of prize-ain; and I will promise most faithfully to do so”

Jeannette sht that there was very little probability of the two young shi+p-boys ever getting prize-money sufficient to pay for such a boat as they required, to et back to poor Jack, who he re Jeannette would have accompanied him part of the way, but she had to reot and Pierre

She had, in the meantime, packed a basket with provisions for Jack and hiht be independent for a couple of days He therefore ju her to remember him very kindly to the others, he bade her farewell, and, with the basket on his arm, slipped out of the house as cautiously as he had entered

He had noted every object as he ca his way back He also easily discovered the small cave described by Jeannette It was at a convenient distance froe cavern, and, as a path led near it, should Jeannette be perceived, ither way to the top of the cliff

Bill did not stop longer than was necessary to exaain, as he knew that Jack would be anxiously waiting for him He hurried on, therefore, and in a short ti up, he called out, ”All right, Jack!” But Jack did not answer He called again, but still there was no reply, and he began to feel very anxious

Had the soldiers been there and carried off his companion? or had Jack died of starvation?

Jeannette had thoughtfully put a tinder-box, flint and steel, and a couple of candles into the basket After feeling his way on for sohted one of the candles

The faint light gave the cavern a wild, strange appearance, so that he could scarcely have knohere he was He looked round on every side, but could nowhere see Jack; he becaive up all hope of finding hith a faint voice caround

”Is that you, Bill?” he asked, in a low voice ”I was afraid you were caught I fancied I heard voices, and crept away, intending to get into our hiding-place, when I fell down, and I suppose Iht any food?”