“Let’s run for it then,” whispered Esau, and catching hold of my hand, he led the way quickly toward the fence, with Rough leaping and bounding round us, and every now and then uttering one of the volleys of barking which sounded terribly loud in the utter silence of that dark night.
We had nearly reached the place, when I heard a familiar voice say—
“What’s the matter with that dog?”
“Don’t know, sir. Seems to have found something, or he wouldn’t go on like that. Here! Hi! Rough, Rough, Rough!”
But the dog would not leave us. We were only friends, and he kept on his excited bark.
“Here, Rough!” cried Mr Raydon, angrily; and at that moment we reached the fence, fortunately for us just by the loophole.
“Over with you first,” cried Esau, and I climbed rapidly to the top, threw my legs over, lowered myself to the full extent of my arms, and dropped lightly.
“Come across and see,” came just then from the other side; and now while I heard the rustling and scrambling noise made by Esau in climbing, as I stood there listening with my heart beating heavily, the dog began to bark furiously, then to growl. There was a struggling noise, and then Esau’s voice came through the crack of the paling.
“He’s got hold of me tight. Run, lad, run!”
But I could not run then and leave my companion in the lurch, and I was about to climb back when the worrying, growling sound ceased, and Esau dropped beside me.