, locked it, and thrust
the key into his pocket, keeping his hand there as he carelessly made
for the staircase, descended to the gallery, and the next minute was
looking over the broad balustrade down into the hall, where a couple of
soldiers stood, with grounded muskets, staring through the dining-room
door, while another was in the porch on guard, and voices came from out
of the room.

"Hullo!" shouted Waller to the two soldiers, who had turned to look at
him directly. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Without waiting for an answer he took a couple of steps, threw himself
on to the great carved balustrade, and, rapidly gliding down upon his
chest, literally shot off before he reached the upright scroll at the
bottom, and faced the men. His loud questioning voice brought out a
sergeant, musket in hand, and sword and bayonet in his diagonal belt
behind, closely followed by a big, fat, puffy, unwholesome-looking man
with sallow face and baggy eyes.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.

The man had on a cobbler's leather apron, which he had rolled up and
tucked in the strap. He had pulled on his jacket, but evidently without
turning down the sleeves of his shirt, which showed through just beneath
his shoulders in two rolls like mock muscles, while a very much battered
felt hat, with a flap looped up to form three cocks, was worn jauntily
upon his head.

"Morning, sir," said the sergeant, looking the boy up and down sharply.
"Are you Squire Froy?"

"No, I am his son," said Waller haughtily, as he strode past the
stiff-looking military man so as to bring himself within arm's length of
the cobbler, and, with a movement quick as a flash, struck off his
cocked hat and sent it flying. "What do you mean by that, sir?" he
shouted at him. "Is that the way to enter a gentleman's house?" and
with a half-run across the echoing polished oak boards he made a kick at
the hat, and, to the great delight of the soldiers, sent it flying out
through the porch.

"If you weren't an old man I'd kick you, too," he continued, as the
astounded constable dressed in a little brief authority, opened his
mouth like a carp, too much amazed to speak. "You would have come
sneaking round to the back door if my father had been at home, or else
have stood wiping your dirty shoes upon the mat." Then, turning his
back upon the man he addressed, he faced the leader of the soldiers.
"Now, sergeant," he said, "what's the meaning of