al, "like the ship's carpenter at work."

"It does, indeed, sound like a carpenter; it's only the new tenant
making, I dare say, some repairs."

"D--n his impudence!"

"Why, it certainly does look like a very cool proceeding, I must admit."

"Who, and what is he?"

"Who he is now, I cannot tell you, but he was once the hangman of
London, at a time when I was practising in the metropolis, and so I
became acquainted with him. He knows Sir Francis Varney, and, if I
mistake not, has found out the cause of that mysterious personage's
great attachment to Bannerworth Hall, and has found the reasons so
cogent, that he has got up an affection for it himself."

"To me," said Henry, "all this is as incomprehensible as anything can
possibly be. What on earth does it all mean?"

"My dear Henry," said the doctor, "will you be ruled by me?"

"I will be ruled by any one whom I know I can trust; for I am like a man
groping his way in the dark."

"Then allow this gentleman who is carpentering away so pleasantly within
the house, to do so to his heart's content, but don't let him leave it.
Show yourselves now in the garden, he has sufficient prudence to know
that three constitute rather fearful odds against one, and so he will be
careful, and remain where he is. If he should come out, we need not let
him go until we thoroughly ascertain what he has been about."

"You shall command the squadron, doctor," said the admiral, "and have it
all your own way, you know, so here goes! Come along, Henry, and let's
show ourselves; we are both armed too!"

They walked out into the centre of the garden, and they were soon
convinced that the hangman saw them, for a face appeared at the window,
and was as quickly withdrawn again.

"There," said the doctor, "now he knows he is a prisoner, and we may as
well place ourselves in some position which commands a good view of the
house, as well as of the garden gate, and so see if we cannot starve him
out, though we may be starved out ourselves."

"Not at all!" said Admiral Bell, producing from his ample pockets
various parcels,--"we came to bring you ample supplies."

"Indeed!"

"Yes; we have been as far as the ruins."

"Oh, to release Marchdale. Charles told me how the villain had fallen
into the trap he had laid for him."

"He has, indeed, fallen into the trap, and it's one he won't easily get
out of again. He's dead."

"Dead!--dead!"

"Yes; in the storm of last night the ruins have fa