determination in every fibre of my frame.

A shadow lay across the kitchen floor; it was that of the deaf mute, as
he stood on a chair before the fire, supporting himself on the chimney
piece with one puny arm, while he reached overhead with the other. I
stood by for an instant, glorying in the thought that he could not hear
me; the next, I saw what it was he was reaching up for--a bell-mouthed
blunderbuss--and I knew the little devil for the impostor that he was.

"You touch it," said I, "and you'll drop dead on that hearth."

He pretended not to hear me, but he heard the click of the splendid
spring which Messrs. Deane and Adams had put into that early revolver of
theirs, and he could not have come down much quicker with my bullet in
his spine.

"Now, then," I said, "what the devil do you mean by shamming deaf and
dumb?"

"I niver said I was owt o' t' sort," he whimpered, cowering behind the
chair in a sullen ague.

"But you acted it, and I've a jolly good mind to shoot you dead!"
(Remember, I was so weak myself that I thought my arm would break from
presenting my five chambers and my ten-inch barrel; otherwise I should
be sorry to relate how I bullied that mouse of a man.) "I may let you
off," I continued, "if you answer questions. Where's your wife?"

"Eh, she'll be back directly!" said Braithwaite, with some tact; but his
look was too cunning to give the warning weight. "I've a bullet to spare
for her," said I, cheerfully; "now, then, where is she?"

"Gone wi' the oothers, for owt I knaw."

"And where are the others gone?"

"Where they allus go, ower to t' say."

"Over to the sea, eh? We're getting on! What takes them there?"

"That's more than I can tell you, sir," said Braithwaite, with so much
emphasis and so little reluctance as to convince me that for once at
least he had spoken the truth. There was even a spice of malice in his
tone. I began to see possibilities in the little beast.

"Well," I said, "you're a nice lot! I don't know what your game is, and
don't want to. I've had enough of you without that. I'm off to-night."

"Before they get back?" asked Braithwaite, plainly in doubt about his
duty, and yet as plainly relieved to learn the extent of my intention.

"Certainly," said I; "why not? I'm not particularly anxious to see your
wife again, and you may ask Mr. Rattray from me why the devil he led
me to suppose you were deaf and dumb? Or, if you like, you needn't say
anything at all abo