"Oh, if we had not failed!" He quickened his pace now, and, just as the sun rose high enough to light up the vale with its morning glow, he came in sight of the opening where Master Rayburn's cottage stood.
"I shall have to wake him up," said the lad, with a sigh; "and oh! what a tale to tell!" But he did not have to waken the old man, for as he drew nearer he suddenly caught sight of his friend, standing with his back to him, hands clasped and hanging in front, head bent and bare, and the horizontal rays of the rising sun turning his silver locks to gold.
The lad gazed at him in surprise, but went on softly till he was quite close up, when Master Rayburn turned suddenly, smiled, and said: "Ah! Ralph Darley, my lad, that's how I say my prayers, but I'm a good Christian all the same.

Why, what brings--here, speak, boy," he cried excitedly--"torn, covered with dirt--and what's this ?--blood?
Oh, Ralph, boy, don't say that you and Mark Eden have been meeting again." "Yes," said Ralph slowly; "we parted only a little while ago;" and he told the old man what had taken place, while the latter eagerly examined the speaker to seek for hurts.
"Then--then--you two lads--on the strength of what I said--attacked those ruffians in their den ?" "Yes, Master Rayburn," said the lad bitterly; "and failed--miserably failed.

Do, pray, come up and see our poor fellows.

One of them is badly hurt, and the others have nearly all got wounds." "But you--you, boy.

I don't see the cause of all this blood." "No," said Ralph wearily.