creak in noisy protest as he climbed in, and ten minutes
later the lusty snoring of a healthy man of full habit resounded through
the house.

She went to bed herself at last, and, after lying awake for nearly a
couple of hours, closed her eyes in order to think better. She awoke
with the sun pouring in at the window and the sounds of vigorous brushing
in the yard beneath.

"I've nearly got it off," said the sergeant, looking up. "It's
destroying evidence in a sense, I suppose; but I can't go about with my
uniform plastered with mud. I've had enough chaff about it as it is."

Miss Pilbeam stole to the door of the next room and peeped stealthily in.
Not a sound came from the cupboard, and a horrible idea that the prisoner
might have been suffocated set her trembling with apprehension.

"H'sh!" she whispered.

An eager but stifled "H'st!" came from the cup-board, and Miss Pilbeam,
her fears allayed, stepped softly into the room.

"He's downstairs brushing the mud off," she said, in a low voice.

"Who is?" said the skipper.

"The fat policeman," said the girl, in a hard voice, as she remembered
her father's wrongs.

"What's he doing it here for?" demanded the astonished skipper.

"Because he lives here."

"Lodger?" queried the skipper, more astonished than before.

"Father," said Miss Pilbeam.

A horrified groan from the cupboard fell like music on her ears. Then
the smile forsook her lips, and she stood quivering with indignation as
the groan gave way to suppressed but unmistakable laughter.

"H'sh!" she said sharply, and with head erect sailed out of the room and
went downstairs to give Mr. Pilbeam his breakfast.

To the skipper in the confined space and darkness of the cupboard the
breakfast seemed unending. The sergeant evidently believed in sitting
over his meals, and his deep, rumbling voice, punctuated by good-natured
laughter, was plainly audible. To pass the time the skipper fell to
counting, and, tired of that, recited some verses that he had acquired at
school. After that, and with far more heartiness, he declaimed a few
things that he had learned since; and still the clatter and rumble
sounded from below.

It was a relief to him when he heard the sergeant push his chair back and
move heavily about the room. A minute later he heard him ascending the
stairs, and then he held his breath with horror as the foot-steps entered
the room and a heavy hand was laid on the cupboard door.

"Els