n nobody else would give him a job."

"Ah, yes," said the Doctor blandly, "you complained of my employing that
man, Sir Hawkhurst. The fact is, he came to me, saying that he had been
cruelly misjudged, that he was half starved, and begged me to give him a
job. I did so, to give him another chance. Of course, after this, and
the fact that my gardener gives him a very bad character and seems much
dissatisfied, I shall not employ him again."

"And very wisely," said the old officer. "Well, sir, that's all I've
got to say. That is my evidence."

"Thank you," said the Doctor magisterially. "And you, my good man, were
with your master, and saw the boys--my boys--engaged there?"

"Yes, sir," said Bob Hopley, touching the black curls over his forehead.
"Rabbit and ferret produced."

As he spoke, he pulled out of one big pocket the dead rabbit, and out of
the other the twining and writhing ferret, at which the Doctor gazed
with interest through his gold spectacles.

"Singular animal!" said the Doctor, "specially designed by nature for
threading its way through the narrow labyrinthine burrows of the rabbit
and the rat."

"Confound it all, sir!" said the General--"I beg pardon, I beg pardon."

During the last few minutes the wheels of a carriage had been heard on
the gravel drive, and the dog-cart had been driven aside. Then the big
bell had clanged, and all had been silent again. For the moment, I had
wondered whether it was a parish constable come for us, but the next I
had forgotten all about it, till one of the maids entered, with a couple
of cards on a tray, which she went round and handed to the Doctor.

"Bless me!" he exclaimed, flushing, as the General made an impatient
gesture, and relieved his feelings by shaking his fist at us both, while
Bob Hopley began to smooth the ferret with his great brown, hairy hand.

"Well, sir?" said the General.

"Excuse me," said the Doctor. "A most curious coincidence. Two
visitors."

"No, sir, no visitors now; business, if you please. Those two boys--"

"Excuse me," said the Doctor blandly. "The two visitors are the
relatives of one of these boys."

Mercer gave quite a start, and I pitied him.

Poor Tom's father and mother, I said mentally, and then I gave a start
too, for the General said fiercely,--

"By George! then they couldn't have come better. Show them in, and I'll
have a word or two with the boy's father."

The Doctor made a sign; the maid withdre