o horrid. Suppose it had been I who went on like that poor
fellow did. I don't think I should ever do such a thing as he has, but
what did he say? He came over with his father. Well, suppose I went
over to France with my father. Of course, it isn't likely, but one
might have done such a thing, and I daresay they have got a New Forest
in France. To be sure they have, and I know its name--Fountainebleau.
Only fancy if I were being hunted through that place by soldiers. Ugh!
If there was a young fellow there found me--a young fellow just about my
age--and did not help me, he'd be a brute."

In his excitement the boy went on marching up and down the quaint, old
panelled dining-room, with his fists clenched and his eyes staring, as
he recalled the scene in the woods that morning.

Just as he was opposite the door it was thrown open quickly by Bella,
who entered with the tea-tray, and who stopped short, startled by the
boy's fierce looks, while as he turned sharply round to march to the
other end of the room, Bella hurriedly placed the tea-tray upon the
table, and then hastened back to go and tell Martha the cook that she
believed Master Waller was going mad.

CHAPTER SIX.

A GOOD APPETITE.

"Yes, I'll mad him," retorted the cook, "if he comes meddling with my
larder when my back's turned. I have a very great mind not to finish
cooking those sausage-meat cakes for his tea--behaving like that when
the Squire's out!"

But all the same Martha Gusset, who was a pleasant, portly dame, went
back to her fire to continue her hurried cooking for her young master's
evening meal.

Meanwhile, without a thought of eating or drinking, Waller was still
marching up and down the dining-room making up his mind what he should
do; and, this made up, he waited impatiently for the maid's return to
finish her preparations, which were concluded by her bearing in a
covered dish which evidently contained something hot and steaming, the
vapour which escaped from beneath the cover having a very pleasant,
savoury odour.

"There, Master Waller," said the girl good-humouredly. "Now, do make a
good tea, there's a good boy, and you know what cook is; she don't like
to be put out. I know what I should do if I was you."

"What?" said Waller, rather surlily.

"Go into the kitchen as soon as you have done tea, and tell her that you
never had anything nicer than those cakes; and she will be so pleased
that she won't say another word abo