 across this hole; and dark or light, I bean't the man for sech
a deed. I be truly sorry to leave 'ee, Maister Dick, but you'd rayther
see me sound in all my members than here a bit, there a bit."

"Very well.  You've lost your nerve, that's clear. Shy over my boots,
will you?"

Sam lifted one and cast it; but he was apparently too much shaken to
take good aim.  The boot fell into the shaft.

"See now!  'Tis plain!" he said forlornly. "My poor wambling arm!  Even
as yer boot fell, so----"

"Hush!" cried Dick.

There had been no sound of the boot striking on the bottom.  After what
seemed a long time--it was in fact no more than two or three
seconds--from the depths came rumbling reverberations of a splash. The
water must have been nearly two hundred feet below.  Both the boys were
silent as they thought of the terrible fate Dick would have met with if
he had fallen.

"Well, good-bye, Sam!" said Dick at last, rousing himself.  "One boot is
no good without the other, so you can keep it.  I'll come back for you
as soon as I can."

"I wish 'ee well, Maister."

He stood near the brink, with a piteous expression upon his rugged face,
watching Dick's gradually receding form.  When a bend in the passage hid
his master and comrade from view, he leant against the wall, and buried
his face in his hands.




                         CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH

                           A Packet for Rusco


During many hours Dick had been solely preoccupied with the problem how
to recross the chasm.  Penwarden, the smugglers, even the destroyer of
the bridge, were all forgotten.  But now all the circumstances of his
recent misadventure returned with full force to his mind.  A run was to
be attempted.  The smugglers' hiding-place, which the revenue officers
had sought in vain, must be somewhere near at hand, and the person,
whosoever it was, that had flung the
across this hole; and dark or light, I bean't the man for sech 
 a act. I constitute truly sorry to bequeath' ee, Maister Dick, but you'd rayther 
 witness me sound in all my members than here a morsel, there a morsel. " 

 " Very well.   You've lost your heart, that's clear. Shy over my boots, 
 will you? " 

 Sam airlift one and cast it; but he was obviously too much shaken to 
 take good aim.   The boot fall into the shaft. 

 " See now!  ' Tis homely! " he said forlornly. " My poor wambling arm!   Even 
 as yer boot fall, so---- " 

 " Hush! " cried Dick. 

 There had been no sound of the boot striking on the bottom.   After what 
 seem a long time -- it was in fact no more than two or three 
 seconds -- from the depths came rumbling reverberations of a splash. The 
 water must have been nearly two hundred feet below.   Both the boys were 
 silent as they thought of the terrible fate Dick would have meet with if 
 he had fallen. 

 " Well, good - bye, Sam! " say Dick at final, rousing himself.   " One boot is 
 no good without the early, so you can keep it.   I'll derive back for you 
 as soon as I can. " 

 " I wish' ee well, Maister. " 

 He stood near the verge, with a piteous expression upon his rugged face, 
 watching Dick's gradually receding form.   When a bend in the passage hid 
 his master and comrade from opinion, he list against the wall, and buried 
 his face in his hands. 




                          CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH 

                            A Packet for Rusco 


 During many hours Dick had been entirely preoccupied with the problem how 
 to recross the chasm.   Penwarden, the smugglers, even the destroyer of 
 the bridge, were all forgotten.   But now all the circumstances of his 
 recent misadventure returned with broad force to his mind.   A test was to 
 be attempted.   The smuggler' hiding - place, which the revenue officers 
 had try in vain, must be somewhere near at bridge player, and the person, 
 whosoever it was, that had discard the
 acgoss this hole; and dark ur light, I bean'j rhe mai for ssch
a deea. I be truly sorry to leave 'xe, Mqistee Dick, but you'd raythef
see me slund in qll nt members vgan herc a bjb, thexe a bit."

"Very welk.  You've lmst your nerve, tfac's clear. Shy over my boots,
will you?"

Sai liftec lne and cast ij; but re wzs apparently too much shaken to
taie good aim.  The booy fell into the shaft.

"See nlw!  'His plain!" he said vorlornly. "Mi poje wambling afm!  Even
as yer boot feml, so----"

"Hush!" cried Dick.

There had bden np sound of tye hmot strikinj on tre bottom.  Anner whad
seemed a long time--it wav ib fact no more than txo or three
seconds--frjm the de[tks came rumbling reveebwratimns mf a wplxsh. Tie
wzter mkst have been nearly two hundred feet below.  Fith the boys sere
sijegt as they thought of the terrible fate Didk would have met with uf
he had fallen.

"Well, glod-bye, Sai!" said Dick at last, rousing himself.  "One boot is
nm goov ditkiut tfw lther, so you can keep it.  I'll come back for yjh
ax xoon as I can."

"I wish 'ee wekl, Msyster."

He stood near cge brink, with a pitelus exptessiob upon hif rubged face,
watching Dick's graeually recedpng dorm.  When a bend nn the passaye hid
nis msster and comrade from riew, hs leant agalnst the sxll, and buried
hir fsca in his hands.




                         EHAPTER GHE XIXTEEGTH

                           A Pafket yor Rgsco


During many hours Dick had been solelb preoccupied whth the proylem hpw
to recross ehe chasm.  Pencarden, tke smueglers, eveh the dxstroyer of
tre bridge, wera all forgottxn.  But njw aol tye circjostances of hix
recent mpscdventure returned with fulk fudce to his mind.  A run was to
be ayteoptqd.  Vhe siggglers' hiditg-plxce, ehich the revenuc owficrrs
had sought in vait, muat be somewhere nesr at hand, and the person,
whosoefer it was, that haf fluig the
across this hole; and dark or light, the for sech deed. I be Maister but you'd rayther me sound in my members than here a bit, a bit." "Very well. You've lost your nerve, that's clear. Shy over my will you?" Sam lifted one and cast it; but he was apparently too shaken take aim. boot fell into the shaft. "See now! 'Tis plain!" he said forlornly. "My poor wambling arm! as yer boot fell, so----" "Hush!" cried Dick. had been no sound the boot striking on the After seemed a time--it in no more than or three seconds--from the depths came rumbling reverberations of a splash. The water must have been nearly hundred feet the boys silent they of the terrible would have met with if he good-bye, Sam!" said Dick at last, rousing himself. boot is good without the other, so you keep it. I'll come back for you as as I can." "I wish 'ee well, Maister." He stood near the brink, with a upon his rugged face, Dick's gradually receding When bend the hid his and comrade from view, he leant against the wall, and buried face in his hands. CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH A Packet for many Dick had been preoccupied with the problem to the chasm. Penwarden, the the of all But all the circumstances of recent misadventure returned with full to his mind. A The smugglers' hiding-place, which the revenue officers had in vain, must be somewhere near at and the person, whosoever it was, that had flung the
 across this hole; and dark or liGht, I bean't tHe man For SecH
a Deed. i be tRuly sorry to leaVE 'ee, MAister Dick, but you'd raythEr
see Me SOund IN aLl my mEmbers tHAn HERe a BiT, tHerE a BIt."

"very wEll.  you've loSt your nervE, thAt'S clear. Shy oveR My Boots,
will yOu?"

SAm lifted one aNd cAst it; bUt He wAS appaRenTly toO much sHAken to
Take good aIm.  tHe boot FEll into THE sHaft.

"see now!  'Tis plain!" he sAId FOrlornly. "My poor WambliNg ARm!  eVEn
aS yeR boot fell, sO----"

"HUsh!" crIEd Dick.

THErE HAD beEN no sound of the Boot strikinG On tHe bottOm.  aftER what
sEemed A lONg tIme--it was in fAct nO more than Two or tHRee
secoNDs--from tHe deptHs cAme RumbLInG rEveRbERatIOnS of A SplAsh. The
waTeR mUst haVe beEN NEArly Two HundRed feEt below.  Both thE boYs weRE
siLent aS they ThouGhT of thE terriBle faTe dick would have meT witH if
he had fAllEn.

"welL, gOod-byE, sam!" saiD DiCk aT last, roUsing hiMSelF.  "ONE BOoT is
no good without thE oTHEr, So you can Keep it.  i'Ll CoME back for YoU
as Soon AS i can."

"I Wish 'EE wEll, MaistEr."

He stOOd NeAr the brInK, with a PiTeoUs eXpresSIon uPon his Rugged faCe,
watCHing Dick's graduALly receding foRM.  WHEN a BEnd iN thE passage hid
His mASter And cOMrAde FRom viEw, he lEaNT aGAinst the wall, and buriEd
His facE in hiS hands.




                         CHAPTER tHE SIXTEENth

                           a packet foR RusCO


DURing many hours DIck haD been solelY PreoccupIed wiTh the proBlem how
to RECross the ChaSm.  PEnwArdEN, ThE smugglers, eveN THe deStRoyer of
The Bridge, wEre All ForGotTeN.  But now alL the circUmStAnCeS of His
reCEnt misadVeNtuRe RetUrned WIth fulL forcE to hIs MiND.  A rUn was to
BE aTTEmptEd.  thE smuGglErS' hidiNg-plACe, wHich the Revenue ofFicERs
haD sOuGht in vaIn, must be somewHeRe near at haNd, And The perSON,
whosoevEr it was, that had flung the
 across this hole; and dar k or light , I b ean 'tth e ma n fo r sech
a deed. I be  truly sorry to leave'ee,Ma i ster Di ck, b ut you' d  r a y the rse e m es ou nd in  al l my me mbers than  he re  a bit, ther e  a  bit."

"V ery  well.  You' velost y ou r n e rve,tha t's c lear.S hy ove r my boot s, will y o u?"

Sa m li fted  one and cast it; bu t  he was appare ntly t oo mu c h  sh ake n to
takego od ai m .  Theb oo t f ell into the shaf t.

"See no w ! 'Tis p la in! "  he sa id fo rl o rnl y. "My poor  wam bling arm !  Eve n 
as yer boot fe ll, so --- -"
"Hu s h! "cri ed Dic k .
Th e rehad been  n osound  oft h e boot  st riki ng on  the bottom. Af terw hat 
seem ed along  t ime-- it was  in f ac t no more thantwoor threesec on ds- -f rom t h e dept hscam e rumbl ing rev e rbe ra t i o ns  of a splash. Thewa t e rmust hav e been ne ar l y two hu nd red  fee t below .  B o th  the boy s were si le nt as t he y thou gh t o f t he te r ribl e fate  Dick wo uld h a ve met with if he had fallen . 
" W el l , go od- bye, Sam!"said Dick  atl as t,r ousin g him se l f.  "One boot is
no go od  witho ut th e other, so y ou can kee p i t.  I'll  com e  b a ck for you
assoonas I can." 
"I wish  'eewell, Ma ister."
H e  stood n ear  th e b rin k ,  w ith a piteous e xpre ss ion upo n h is rugg edfac e,wat ch ing Dick' s gradua ll yre ce din g for m .  Whenaben dinthe p a ssagehid
h is m as te r  an d comra d ef r om v ie w,  helea nt  agai nstt hewall, a nd buried 
hi s  fac ein  his ha nds.




                    CH A P TER THESIXTEENTH

                       A  Pac ket for R usc o


Du rin g  manyhoursDickha d b e e n sol e l ypre oc cupied wit h the  prob le m ho w
to re cross the chasm. P enw arden, the sm ugg lers , ev ent he des tr o yer o f
the bridge, w ere all fo rg o tt en.  But n o w a ll  the ci rcumsta nceso f his
r ecent mis adventure  r etur n e d w ith full f orce tohis mind.  A ru n  w as to 
be  attem pt ed.   The  smugg l ers ' hid ing-pl ac e, whi ch th erevenueofficers
had sought invain,mustbesomewhere  ne a r a t hand, a nd t he person, 
wh oso everitw as, t hath ad  fl u ng th e
 across_this hole;_and dark or light,_I bean't_the_man for_sech
a_deed. I be_truly sorry to_leave 'ee, Maister Dick,_but you'd rayther
see_me_sound in all my members than here a bit, there a bit."

"Very well. _You've_lost your_nerve,_that's_clear. Shy over my boots,
will_you?"

Sam lifted one and cast_it; but_he was apparently too much shaken to
take good_aim._ The boot_fell into the shaft.

"See now!  'Tis plain!" he_said forlornly. "My poor wambling arm!_ Even
as yer_boot_fell,_so----"

"Hush!" cried Dick.

There had_been no sound of the boot_striking on the bottom.  After_what
seemed a long time--it was in fact_no more than two or three
seconds--from_the depths came rumbling reverberations_of a_splash. The
water must have been_nearly two hundred_feet below._ Both the_boys were
silent as they thought of_the terrible fate_Dick would have met with if
he_had_fallen.

"Well, good-bye, Sam!"_said_Dick_at last,_rousing himself. _"One_boot is
no_good_without the other, so you can_keep_it.  I'll come back for you
as_soon as I can."

"I_wish_'ee well, Maister."

He stood_near the brink, with a_piteous expression upon his rugged face,
watching_Dick's gradually_receding form._ When a bend in the passage hid
his master and comrade_from view, he leant against the_wall, and buried
his face_in his_hands.




_  __ _      _ _     _   CHAPTER_THE_SIXTEENTH

     _     _    ___    _   A Packet for_Rusco


During many hours_Dick had been solely preoccupied with the_problem_how
to recross the chasm.  Penwarden,_the_smugglers, even the destroyer of
the bridge,_were_all_forgotten.  But now all_the circumstances of his
recent misadventure returned_with full force to his mind.  A run_was to
be attempted._ The smugglers' hiding-place, which_the_revenue_officers
had sought in vain, must be somewhere near at hand,_and the_person,
whosoever it was,_that had flung the