of the
neighbour's cottage, and the next minute they heard her setting her load
upon her white kitchen-table.

"Oh, I didn't know you were down, gentlemen," she cried, as she hurried
into the parlour. "I have been over to my neighbour's to see if she
could help me now that I am in such a fix."

"Well, could she?" said Uncle Paul.

"Oh yes, sir. As luck had it, she was baking yesterday, and she had
plenty of butter and eggs, besides a small ham which had just been
smoked."

"Oh, come," said Uncle Paul, "we shall be able to keep you alive for a
few days longer, Pickle; and I suppose you will soon be able to let us
have breakfast, Mrs Champernowne?"

"Oh yes, sir, very quickly. I shall only want time to fry the ham."

Uncle Paul gave an involuntary sniff, as if the aroma of the fragrant
brown had floated to his nostrils.

"But you can't tell, sir, how sorry I am that such a thing should have
happened to gentlemen staying in my house;" and the poor woman looked
appealingly to uncle and nephew, and back.

"Don't you say another word about it, madam," replied Uncle Paul. "You
make us a nice clear cup of coffee to take away the taste of the night's
adventures."

"I will indeed, sir, and I won't say another word, only thank you for
taking it so patiently and, if I might make the observation, in such a
lamb-like way."

Rodd turned round very quickly, walked to the window, and began to
whistle softly.

"I went over this morning to my neighbour's, sir, as you may see by the
basket."

"Yes, madam," said Uncle Paul, who was staring hard at his nephew's back
and scratching one ear vigorously.

"I told her all about it, of course, sir, and her master was there
having his breakfast before he went out peat-cutting, and if you'll
believe me, sir, he did nothing but laugh, and said he knew it was the
prisoners, sure enough, and he had the impudence to say that it was a
great blessing that they came to my cottage instead of to his, and lucky
for the prisoners too, for they'd got a better fit."

"Ah, yes, Mrs Champernowne," said Uncle Paul, pulling out his watch and
frowning very hard in its face; "but do you think your neighbour's ham
will be as good as yours?"

"Oh yes, sir--better, I expect, for it was a lovely little pig when it
was fatted up and killed last Christmas; one of those little fat,
short-legged, dunkey ones with turn-up snouts. My husband used to say
they were the Chinese breed, and that was why the