ere was
another sharp thunder sound and a flash like lightning, only much
smaller. Some one tripped and fell; there was a clatter like pails, and
something hard and smooth hit him on the knee. Then another hurried
presence dashed past him into the quiet night. Another--No! there was a
woman's voice.

"Edward, you shan't! Let them go! You shan't--no!"

And suddenly there was a light that made one wink and blink. A tall lady
in white, carrying a lamp, swept down the stairs and caught at a man who
sprang into being out of the darkness into the lamplight.

"Take the lamp," she said, and thrust it on him. Then with unbelievable
quickness she bolted and chained the door, locked it, and, turning, saw
Dickie.

"What's this?" she said. "Oh, Edward, quick--here's one of them! . . .
Why--it's a child----"

Some more people were coming down the stairs, with candles and excited
voices. Their clothes were oddly bright. Dickie had never seen
dressing-gowns before. They moved in a very odd way, and then began to
go round and round like tops.

The next thing that Dickie remembers is being in a room that seemed full
of people and lights and wonderful furniture, with some one holding a
glass to his lips, a little glass, that smelled of public-houses, very
nasty.

"No!" said Dickie, turning away his head.

"Better?" asked a lady; and Dickie was astonished to find that he was on
her lap.

"Yes, thank you," he said, and tried to sit up, but lay back again
because that was so much more pleasant. He had had no idea that any
one's lap could be so comfortable.

"Now, young man," said a stern voice that was not a lady's, "just you
tell us how you came here, and who put you up to it."

"I got in," said Dickie feebly, "through the butler's pantry window,"
and as he said it he wondered how he had known that it was the butler's
pantry. It is certain that no one had told him.

"What for?" asked the voice, which Dickie now perceived came from a
gentleman in rumpled hair and a very loose pink flannel suit, with
cordy things on it such as soldiers have.

"To let----" Dickie stopped. This was the moment he had been so
carefully prepared for. He must think what he was saying.

"Yes," said the lady gently, "it's all right--poor little chap, don't be
frightened--nobody wants to hurt you!"

"I'm not frightened," said Dickie--"not now."

"To let----?" reminded the lady, persuasively.

"To let the man in."

"What man?"

"I dunno."