he bright light and fresh air of the morning in company with the louder
bleating of the goats, which animals evidently came trotting up to the
old man as he stepped back to look searchingly round. Then, after
speaking kindly to them, he drove them away, returned into the room
directly after with water, and proceeded to busily attend to Pen's
wound.

"That's good of him," said Punch petulantly, "and I am glad to see him
do it, comrade; but I wish he'd thought to attend to my wound too--I
mean, give me the chance to dress it myself with bread and onion
poultice. I don't know when I felt so hollow inside."

But he had not long to wait, for, evidently well satisfied with the
state of Pen's injury, the priest finished attending to him as tenderly
as if his touch were that of a woman, and then Punch was at rest, for
the old man placed the last night's simple fare before them, signed to
them to eat, and, leaving them to themselves, went outside again, to
sweep the valley below with a long and scrutinising gaze.

Twice over during the next two days Pen made an effort to rise, telling
his companion when they were alone that if he had a stick he thought he
could manage to limp along a short distance at a time, for it was very
evident that the old man, their host, was uneasy in his own mind about
their presence.

"He evidently wants to get rid of us, Punch."

"Think so?" said the boy.

"Yes. See how he keeps fidgeting in and out to go on looking round to
see if anybody's coming."

"Yes, I have noticed that," said Punch. "He thinks the French are
coming after us, and that he will get into trouble for keeping us here."

"Yes; it's plain enough, so let's go."

"But you can't, comrade."

"Yes, I can."

"Not without making your wound worse. That's what you would have said
to me."

"Then I must make it worse," said Pen angrily. "Next time he comes in
I'll try to make him explain which way we ought to go to find some of
our people."

"Well, we can only try," replied Punch, "for 'tain't nice living on
anybody when you can't pay, and I do feel ashamed to eat as I do without
being able to find money for it. 'Tain't as if he was an enemy. I'd
let him see then."

"Go and open the door, Punch, and let the fresh air in. The sun does
make this place so hot!"

"Can't, comrade."

"Why not?"

"I did try while you was asleep; but he's locked us in."

"Nonsense! He fastens the door with that big bar, and there it is