our of Mr. Travers, who was struggling for a place
with all the fervour of a citizen at the Lord Mayor's show.

"Get back," she said, in a fierce whisper. "He'll see you."

Mr. Travers with obvious reluctance obeyed, just as the victim looked up.

"Is that you, Mrs. Waters?" inquired the boatswain, fearfully.

"Yes, of course it is," snapped the widow. "Who else should it be, do
you think? Go on! What are you stopping for?"

Mr. Benn's breathing as he bent to his task again was distinctly audible.
The head of Mr. Travers ranged itself once more alongside the widow's.
For a long time they watched in silence.

"Won't you come down here, Mrs. Waters?" called the boatswain, looking up
so suddenly that Mr. Travers's head bumped painfully against the side of
the window. "It's a bit creepy, all alone."

"I'm all right," said Mrs. Waters.

"I keep fancying there's something dodging behind them currant bushes,"
pursued the unfortunate Mr. Benn, hoarsely. "How you can stay there
alone I can't think. I thought I saw something looking over your
shoulder just now. Fancy if it came creeping up behind and caught hold
of you! The widow gave a sudden faint scream.

"If you do that again," she said, turning fiercely on Mr. Travers.

"He put it into my head," said the culprit, humbly; "I should never have
thought of such a thing by myself. I'm one of the quietest and
best-behaved----"

"Make haste, Mr. Benn," said the widow, turning to the window again;
"I've got a lot to do when you've finished."

The boatswain groaned and fell to digging again, and Mrs. Waters, after
watching a little while longer, gave Mr. Travers some pointed
instructions about the window and went down to the garden again.

"That will do, I think," she said, stepping into the hole and regarding
it critically. "Now you'd better go straight off home, and, mind, not a
word to a soul about this."

She put her hand on his shoulder, and noticing with pleasure that he
shuddered at her touch led the way to the gate. The boat-swain paused
for a moment, as though about to speak, and then, apparently thinking
better of it, bade her good-bye in a hoarse voice and walked feebly up
the road. Mrs. Waters stood watching until his steps died away in the
distance, and then, returning to the garden, took up the spade and stood
regarding with some dismay the mountainous result of his industry. Mr.
Travers, who was standing just inside the back door, joined he