He held her hand, for he could hardly carry her farther, since she
was almost as tall as himself, and more plump; and the rest of the
conversation for some little time consisted of, 'There!' 'Where?'
'Oh, I was almost down!' 'Take heed; give me thy other hand! Thou
must leap this!' 'Oh! what a place! Is there much more of it?'
'Not much! Come bravely on! There's a good maid.' 'Oh, I must get
my breath.' 'Don't stand still. That means sinking. Leap! Leap!
That's right. No, not that way, turn to the big stair.' 'Oh--h!'
'That's my brave wench! Not far now.' 'I'm down, I'm down!' 'Up!
Here, this is safe! On that white stone! Now, here's sound ground!
Hark!' Wherewith he emitted a strange wild whoop, and added, 'That's
Hob come out to call me!' He holloaed again. 'We shall soon be at
home now. There's Mother Doll's light! Her light below, the star
above,' he added to himself.

By this time it was too dark for the two young people to see more
than dim shapes of one another, but the boy knew that the hand he
still held was a soft and delicate one, and the girl that those which
had grasped and lifted her were rough with country labours. She
began to assert her dignity and say again, 'Who art thou, lad? We
will guerdon thee well for aiding me. The Lord St. John is my
father. And who art thou?'

'I? Oh, I am Hob Hogward's lad,' he answered in an odd off-hand
tone, before whooping again his answer to the shouts of Hob, which
were coming nearer.

'I am so hungry!' said the little lady, in a weak, famished tone.
'Hast aught to eat?'