CHAPTER ELEVEN.
IN A SAD PLIGHT! The Captain, who had remained on the plateau above, in company with Mrs Gilmour and Dick--the latter still in charge of the precious hamper-- pricked up his ears at the sound of poor Nellie's scream and Bob's expressive cry of alarm.
"Hullo!" he sang out in his sailor fashion-- "I wonder what's the row now?
By Jove, I thought it wouldn't be long before those two young persons got into mischief when we left them alone together." "I hope to goodness they haven't come to any harm," said Mrs Gilmour dolefully.

"Sure and will you go and say what's happened ?" "Sure an' I'm just a-going, ma'am," replied the Captain, keeping up his good-humoured mimicry of her accent so as to reassure her; adding, as he scrambled down the slope cautiously with the aid of his trusty malacca cane-- "You needn't be alarmed, ma'am, `at all at all,' for I don't believe anything very serious has occurred, as children's calls for assistance generally mean nothing in the end.

They are like, as your countryman said when he shaved his pig, `all cry and little wool!'" He chuckled to himself as he went on down the declivity, turning round first, however, to see whether Mrs Gilmour appreciated the allusion to "poor Pat"; while Dick, leaving the hamper behind, followed, in case his assistance might also be needed in the emergency.
Arrived at the bottom of the dell the old sailor found it impossible at first to tell what had happened; for, Bob was trying to force his way through the brushwood brake, and Rover barking madly.

Nellie was nowhere to be seen, although her voice could be heard proceeding from somewhere near at hand, calling for help still, but in a weaker voice.
"Where are you ?" shouted the Captain.

"Sing out, can't you!" "Here," came the reply in the girl's faint treble; "I'm here!" "Where's `here' ?" said he, puzzled.