edges round her waist. She also discarded the long, cumbrous domino, and I
took it from her.

"Watch me," said I, "and follow when I give the word. I'll have a look
round first."

Up I went, hand over hand, as easily as ever I had done it. I crouched
down on the top of the wall, which, fortunately, lay in the shadow of the
schoolhouse. I saw in the sky the reflected glare of a fire at the north
gate, another picket I supposed, but there were houses without the gate,
and these were dark and silent. There was no fear of our being observed.

"Come!" I whispered.

She started boldly and came up with cheering swiftness. I spread the
domino in readiness, then stretched down to help her, and in another
moment she was sitting the wall as a saddle.

"Splendid, for a novice," I said.

"And a novice in skirts, short ones."

She went first down the other side, and I nearly pitched headlong in
assisting her as far down as possible. She lowered her skirts while I
followed and then I helped her into the domino, rejoicing in the silken
caress of her hair on my hands as I arranged the hood, a pleasant piece of
officiousness for which I got thanks I did not deserve, and off we started.

Again she asked nothing as to what we were going to do and whither we
were bound. The blazing windows of a comfortable inn might have been in