the house; but old Basset turned back, and fixing his eye upon the door,
shook his head for a couple of minutes.

'"Well," said he, "for an empty loft it has the finest pair of padlocks
I ever looked at. Would there be any objection, Major, to our taking a
peep into it?"

'"None," said Bob; "but I haven't a ladder that long in the place."

'"I think this might reach," said Hennessy, as he touched one with his
foot that lay close along the wall, partly covered with straw.

'"Just the thing," said Nick; while poor Bob hung down his head and
said nothing. With that they raised the ladder and placed it against the
door.

'"Might I trouble you for the key, Major Mahon?" said Hennessy.

'"I believe it is mislaid," said Bob, in a kind of sulky way, at which
they both grinned at each other, as much as to say, "We have him now."

'"You ''ll not take it amiss then, Major, if we break the door?" said
Nick.

'"You may break it and be hanged!" said Bob, as he stuck his hands into
his pockets and walked away.

'"This will do," cried one of the bailiffs, taking up a big stone as he
mounted the ladder, followed by Nick, Hennessy, and the other.

[Illustration: 413]

'It took some time to smash the locks, for they were both strong ones,
and all the while Nick and his friend were talking together in great
glee; but poor Bob stood by himself against a hayrick, looking as
melancholy as might be. At last the locks gave way, and down went the
door with a bang. The bailiffs stepped in, and then Nick and the other
followed. It took them a couple of minutes to satisfy themselves that
the loft was quite empty; but when they came back again to the door,
what was their surprise to discover that Bob was carrying away the
ladder upon his shoulders to a distant part of the yard.

'"Holloa, Major!" cried Basset, "don't forget us up here!"

'"Devil a fear of that," said Bob; "few that know you ever forget you."

'"We are quite satisfied, sir," said Hennessy; "what you said was
perfectly correct."

'"And why didn't you believe it before, Mr. Hennessy? You see what you
have brought upon yourself."

'"You are not going to leave us up here, sir," cried Hennessy; "will you
venture upon false imprisonment?"

"'I'd venture on more than that, if it were needful; but see now, when
you get back, don't be pretending that I didn't offer to treat you well,
little as you deserved it, I asked you to dinner, and would have given
you your skinful