two, Peter, from the Cottage. And, Jan, Brownie will have your room ready by this time. We will take you home, and then we'll turn in ourselves." 

 Mrs. Brown was on the look-out for the three. "I've got Miss Jan's room ready," she announced, "but I suppose you young gentlemen are sleeping out? What with the lumber in that attic, my dears, I've not——!" 

 "It's all right, Brownie, we've just come for blankets," the boys assured her.  "We'll help to turn out the attic ourselves on the first wet day. Don't worry about that, and thank you for the milk and eggs and things; they made a ripping supper, and they'll make a ripping breakfast too. But from then we'll be self-supporting. We can row over to the other side of the river for what things we need, and we'll be about, you know, if you want any odd jobs done."  The boys, armed with a rug apiece, shouted a cheery good-night and were off again campwards, while Jan followed her hostess into the bedroom that had been prepared for her. 

 She went to the window when she was ready for bed and looked out; at first it seemed quite dark outside, but the moon was shining on the river between the Island and the Chase garden, and a bridge of moonlight seemed to span the water. Suddenly another light appeared too, a steady light from one of the windows of the Chase.  "It's Mother, I expect," thought Jan sleepily.  "She's lighted it for us to see. I wonder if the boys see it too. And I wonder if Mother——" she jumped into bed and curled herself up in the big old-fashioned feather mattress, and was asleep in a twinkling. 

 The boys were fast asleep already too. It hadn't taken long to cover the fire with ashes, and to collect a few logs in case a midnight stoking was required. Then they rolled themselves in their rugs and turned over, their feet towards the fire. Hours and hours seemed to have passed when Robin was suddenly awakened. "I say, old chap," said Peter's voice. 

 "What's wrong?" asked Robin sleepily; it was quite dark—for the moon had set early—perhaps the darkest part of the summer night. 

 "Don't you hear rather a peculiar noise?" inquired Peter. 

 "No! What sort?" Robin raised himself on his elbow to listen. 

 "A sort of thumping."  Peter sat up too. "No, it's gone again. But it was quite loud—it woke me, and I thought——" 

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