Meanwhile Gusset was "set upon his pins," again, as the sergeant
expressed it--in other words, he was helped up, groaning and breathing
hard, to look from one to the other for commiseration, but finding none.

"Well, this is all waste of time, my lads," said the sergeant, pulling
himself together. "I say, gardener, we must have another long ladder, I
suppose."

"You'll get no more of my ladders to break," said the gardener, wagging
his head, "in the King's name or out of the King's name."

"What!" cried the sergeant, with mock fierceness.

"Well, how can you," said the gardener, "when there aren't none?
There's two little ones as you can tie together if you like, and Mrs
Gusset will lend you a bit of clothes-line. But you wouldn't catch me
venturing my carkidge up them if she did. But you can do as you like,
unless old Waxy Fat would like another try."

"The lunch is quite ready, Mr Sergeant," came from the kitchen door at
that moment.

"Thank you, ma'am," said the sergeant, with a salute and a smile. Then
he turned and looked at the broken ladder, next at Waller, and then at
the mournful face of the constable, who looked back at him in despair.

"Well, master," he said, "my lads aren't much of angels, and they can't
fly up on to the roof, but they are looking hungry, as fellows as
haven't had a bite for the last six hours; so, with your leave, Mr
Froy, sir, I will give orders for a flank attack upon that there bread
and cheese.--Fall in, my lads! Left face! Forward! March!" and,
placing himself by the leading file, he led the way straight up to the
kitchen door, halted his men, gave the order to pile arms, and marched
them into the kitchen, going himself directly after to collect his
sentries and bring them up to the attack.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

THE SEARCH RELINQUISHED.

The little military party had no cause to complain of the hospitality of
Brackendene.

The constable had, for, after staying behind, looking about him for
sympathy, and finding none, the sound of the voices in the kitchen and
the rattle of knives upon plates had such a strange effect upon him that
it was quite curative, and, forgetting his injuries, he moved pompously
up towards the kitchen door, feeling that, as one of the search-party,
he had a right to partake of the refreshments.

But to his intense disgust he was met at the threshold by his plump,
pleasant-looking sister, who planted herself, arms akimbo, right in his
way