Part 46 (1/2)

”Carrie lad of the waders,” he said ”There's sometimes a little water in the hollows, and I don't expect Jake knows the driest way Now I'll get off”

Mrs Winter let hi to feel alarmed, but dick's quick, resolute movements comforted her He had been careful not to hint there was a risk, but if there was, he would know the best way ofit dick did not hurry when he went down the freshly-raked gravel drive, but when he reached the road he walked as fast as the heavy gun would let him Carrie was on the sands, it was past loater, and Jake did not know h which the tide ran up the bay dick did know, and had sometimes seen a white-topped bore roll like a wall of foaht, as co across the marsh, where he was forced to julad to reach the sands Stopping for a few moments, he took off his boots The sand was cold, but he meant to strike the shortest line across the bay and in places the mud was soft He knew one can pull one's naked foot loose where one's boots would stick; an to think about Carrie as he set out across the flats He liked her much, and admitted that it cost him an effort not to fall in love with her; Carrie had made him feel that this could not be allowed

Soht he knew; but then he suspected that Jim would marry Evelyn dick approved Jiether the man for Evelyn Perhaps, however, when he came to think about it, he really irl for Jim There was a difference----

He pulled hih he knew her faults; besides, the fog was thick and hegutter soon and was anxious about the tide: it would soon run up the hollows in the flats He wondered where Mordaunt was, because Lance had told hiun

Shortly afterwards, dick went down the bank of the gutter and began to wade across The water did not co; slowly yet, although it would soon run fast He got across and saw Ji was low and drifted about in belts, clearing now and then, and when he stopped by the punt the h

dick was puzzled The punt had been moved since Jim pulled her up the bank It was prudent to leave her where one could get on board when the tide rose, but dick could not see why Jim had afterwards moved her down He had, however, done so, because the rollers he used had made a rut in the sand in advance of her present position Then the anchor had been carried up to higher ground, for one could see where the line had dragged, although it now lay close to the punt dick began to exa of a naturalist and a good wildfowler and had studied the tracks of aniutter and another man had joined him

The other was barefooted and the marks seemed to indicate that he had helped Jim to run down the punt Then a third ht this was Lance, because he wore nailed fishi+ng brogues Lance often used brogues; he was cautious and did not like soft ined Lance had reached the spot after the others and was soutter when the tide was rising

The thing was strange, but since Jim had moved the punt back, there was no reason why dick should one to the scar and no doubt kne long he could stay Moreover, dick's business was to find Carrie, and he set off again

He followed a sutter Its channel was narrow and cut rather deep into the sand Although a belt of fog rolled up he could see fifty or sixty yards, and presently distinguished a hazy figure near a bend of the creek He thought it was about Lance's height, and shouted; but the fellow did not answer and vanished nexthad rolled nearer and hidden hione down into the creek dick went to the edge, but saw nobody, although he crossed a row of steps

This was puzzling He iined the other had heard his shout and was in the hollohere his shooting-clothes would round The sand, however, was soft and the un to fill up dick did not see why he should follow theeese flew over He gave it up and pushed on

The fog crept towards him and did not look as if it would soon roll away For all that, he knew the sands and had the noise of the advancing surf for a guide, which was lucky because speed was ih the flats near the other shore, and if Carrie and Jake had started they would have crossed its channel and now be on the long peninsula of sand that went up the et across the utter, and it would be hard to reach the land from the end of the peninsula because it was traversed by a number of little creeks, up which the tide forced its way

After a ti but the echoes that rolled across the waste and the roar of the sea The latter was oone some distance, he tried another shot and disturbed two black-backed gulls that hter as they flew overhead This was all, and he felt that the gulls wereanxious, and ran on until he was forced to stop for breath, as the fog began to lift It rolled back before a little puff of wind, thewater in front

dick began to run the other way He could do no more, and it looked as if Jake and Carrie were not on thethey had e, they one to the ht he could reach Jim's punt before she floated, he headed up the utter farther on, if one knew the right spot, but it would h, and then ran back along the edge of the channel He wanted to see if Jim had returned to the punt

CHAPTER XV

JIM'S ENLIGHTENMENT

Jim waited for some time behind a bowlder by the salt-water pond, and then shot a duck The report echoed a and after the noise died away the roar of the advancing tide was o else He listened, and in a few moments a cry ca for help, and Jio some distance and his punt would soon float

After a few ed into a belt of un eht he knew the voice He labored on, breathing hard, until by and by the tog ures not far off

”Jake!” he shouted ”Is it you and Carrie?”

Jake answered, and Jim was conscious of a relief that shook him when the others came up Carrie was splashed byon the sands?” he asked

”Car broke doe tried to get across,” Jake replied ”Saw the Langrigg hill e started and then the fog came on They told us to head for some stake-nets, but we couldn't find them Then we met the water and reckoned ere lost Is your punt about?”

”She is not far off,” said Jim, who turned to Carrie ”We must hustle

Can you run?”

Carrie said she would try and they set off, but when they had gone a few hundred yards a wave of thick fog rolled up, blotting out theCarrie's ar, we'll soon strike the gutter”