the other gamekeeper; who started instantly on this mission, for the three
ruffians were already in full retreat for the carriage.

Giddy--wild--fainting--still terror carried me on.

'Now, Madame Rogers--s'pose you take young Misses on--I must run and len'
Bill a hand.'

'No, no; you moste not,' cried Madame. 'I am fainting myself, and more
villains they may be near to us.'

But at this moment we heard a shot, and, muttering to himself and grasping
his gun, Dykes ran at his utmost speed in the direction of the sound.

With many exhortations to speed, and ejaculations of alarm, Madame hurried
me on toward the house, which at length we reached without further
adventure.

As it happened, my father met us in the hall. He was perfectly transported
with fury on hearing from Madame what had happened, and set out at once,
with some of the servants, in the hope of intercepting the party at the
park-gate.

Here was a new agitation; for my father did not return for nearly three
hours, and I could not conjecture what might be occurring during the period
of his absence. My alarm was greatly increased by the arrival in the
interval of poor Bill, the under-gamekeeper, very much injured.

Seeing that he was determined to intercept their retreat, the three men had
set upon him, wrested his gun, which exploded in the struggle, from him,