snatching it
rudely," she said afterwards--I held out the little unrolled scrap
which Peter the gamekeeper had fetched in his jackdaw's quill. I had
the quill, too, in my jacket pocket, in case she should want to see
that.

"There," I said, "be all the 'outs' with me you like afterwards--I
can't help girls' tempers--but if you want to help save my father, you
read that."

And I believe, just because I took her sharp like that without whining
to be forgiven and twaddle of that kind, her hand closed on the paper,
and she read it.

"Where did you get this?" she asked just as I had done myself from
Peter Kemp. So I told her all about it--everything there was to tell,
and smartly, too. For I knew she was very late; we should have old
Mustard's weasely muzzle snowking down the lane after us. This was no
grandfather's clock, puss-in-the-corner game, this.

So I put off no time, and Elsie never remembered about wading into me
about the Caw girls, but just wrinkled her brow and thought like a good
one. She was death on thinking, Elsie; I never met her match. I was a
fool to her; and in spite of what father says, I am not generally taken
for one, either.

At last it came--the wisdom over which Elsie had knit her brows.

"If I were you, I would have another turn at that drain--the one you
told me about going up with Mr. Ablethorpe," she said; "and likewise
take a look at the ruin near which we saw Mr. Stennis get down from his
horse."

I told Elsie that I had no stomach for going alone. The oily curls and
big knife of Mad Jeremy had weaned me from the love of adventure.

"I will go, if you will, Elsie," I said, thinking this to be impossible.

For one instant her eyes flashed, and I felt sure she was going to say:
"Take your caws and crows and rooks, and get them to go with you!"

However, whether it was that she caught the imploring look in my eyes,
or from some secret relenting within herself, I do not know; but she
suddenly put out her hand, clasped mine for a moment, and said--"I will
come on Saturday. There!"

She was gone, and not a whit too soon; for I had hardly got back behind
the hedge among the trees when old Mustard poked his bent shoulders and
red, baldish head round the corner, looking for her. But he saw
nothing; for Elsie was coming along, already deep in her book. He
waited for her, smiling like a hyena, and they went up to the school
together.

Saturday was the day after to-morrow, and w