They had made an
enormous circle. Panting and half collapsed, they stood side by side
in an exhausted heap.
"We're out," said Tim, with immense relief. Profoundly satisfied with
himself, he looked round at his bedraggled Uncle. It was plain that he
had rescued some one from "an awful-anorrible death."
"At last!" replied the other gratefully, aware that he was the rescued
one. "But only just in time!"
And they moved away in the deepening dusk towards the house, whose
welcome lights shone across the intervening hayfield.
CHAPTER XIII
TIME HESITATES
Meanwhile the coveted fortnight drew towards a close. It had begun on
a Friday, and that left two full, clear weeks ahead. It had seemed an
inexhaustible period--when it started. There was the feeling that it
would draw out slowly, like an ordinary lesson-week; instead of which
it shot downhill to Saturday with hardly a single stop. On looking
back, the children almost felt unfairness; somebody had pushed it;
they had been cheated.
And, of course, they _had_ been cheated. Time had played his usual
trick upon them. The beginning was so prodigal of reckless promises
that they had really believed a week would last for ever.
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