| 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 |
| 1 | 88 | 177 | 265 | 353 |
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Midway over, Hugh Ferryman was swimming with his upturned boat, while
John-a-Fenne, furious at the ill-fortune of his shot, bawled to him to
hurry.
"Come, Jack," said Shelton, "run for it! Ere Hugh can hale his barge
across, or the pair of 'em can get it righted, we may be out of cry."
And adding example to his words, he began to run, dodging among the
willows, and in marshy places leaping from tussock to tussock. He had no
time to look for his direction; all he could do was to turn his back upon
the river, and put all his heart to running.
Presently, however, the ground began to rise, which showed him he was
still in the right way, and soon after they came forth upon a slope of
solid turf, where elms began to mingle with the willows.
But here Matcham, who had been dragging far into the rear, threw himself
fairly down.
"Leave me, Dick!" he cried, pantingly; "I can no more."
Dick turned, and came back to where his companion lay.
"Nay, Jack, leave thee!" he cried. "That were a knave's trick, to be
sure, when ye risked a shot and a ducking, ay, and a drowning too, to
save my life. Drowning, in sooth; for why I did not pull you in along
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