hat he doesn't break the door down while Master Alfy is
fetching a policeman; so there he is. Horrid idjot! what did he want
to come here for; and how did he come?"

A glance outside showed her the boat, and showed her also that the
water was certainly subsiding.

"That's a mercy!" said Mansy; "but, oh! what a mess the garden and
everything will be in!"

The interior of the house showed that Mansy had been busy, for it
presented a much more comfortable and tidy appearance than when she
returned. A quantity of the water had been bailed out through the
windows; and the cracks of the doors had been tightly plugged to
prevent water trickling in again.

To-day Mansy wished to continue her tidying arrangements, and she also
wanted to cook a good dinner. "Bother the man!" she exclaimed. "What
a nuisance he is in the kitchen, when I wanted to have everything ready
there!" And she commenced to boil a little water for breakfast over
her spirit lamp.

Just then the unwelcome visitor gave more evidence of being a nuisance.
He had awakened, and finding the door locked, and no means of egress
but into the water, he began knocking the panels of the portal to
attract attention.

"Knock away, my gentleman, knock away!" said Mansy. "You won't get out
except into a policeman's arms, I can tell you!"

The noise soon brought down the children, and Mansy speedily explained
the position of affairs.

"Then it was somebody I heard in the night," exclaimed Edie. "I
thought of waking you, Mansy." And she told her experience during the
dark watches.

"As things have turned out, it does not matter," said Mansy; "and I am
glad you did not wake me. Out he doesn't come 'cept into a policeman's
arms. Do you hear that, you wagabone?"

"I'll break the door down," he shouted, "if you don't open it." And he
continued to knock loudly.

"Why," said Alfy, "that is like the voice of the man who treated me so
badly yesterday. I wonder if it is he! Yes, I do believe it is," he
added, as he heard the man shout again. "Oh, we must keep the door
fast. Let us put chairs and tables against it!"

"It will be of no use for you to break the door," cried Alfy aloud,
"for we are going to put things against it! What did you come here
for?"

"I didn't mean no harm," grumbled the man. "I haven't took nothing. I
only come for a sleep." Then after a pause he commenced to knock the
door more heavily than before.

"Be quick, Master Alfy; oh