The shout was repeated again and again as the boat neared the shore, and just as the keel grated on the sand the outer gate was opened and some armed men were seen running into the garden, but they were still two hundred yards away.

Marjory leapt lightly into the boat; the men pushed off, and before the retainers of the convent reached the spot the boat was speeding away over the lake.

Archie gave up to Marjory his seat in the stern, and himself took an oar.
Loch Leven, though of considerable length, is narrow, and the boat was nearly a third of the way across it before two or three craft were seen putting out from the village in pursuit, and although these gained somewhat, the fugitives reached the other shore a long distance in advance.

William Orr and his men were at the landing place, and soon the whole party were hurrying through the wood.
They had no fear of instant pursuit, for even in the fast gathering gloom those in the boats would have perceived the accession of force which they had received on landing, and would not venture to follow.

But before morning the news of the evasion would spread far and wide, and there would be a hot pursuit among the mountains.
Scarce a word had been spoken in the boat.