to the question of
how he was to get out. He was released at length by a man and a saw,
and Mrs. Chinnery, as soon as she could speak, gave him a pressing
invitation to take home with him any particular piece of the table for
which he might have a fancy.

He was back next morning with a glue-pot, and divided his time between
boiling it up on the kitchen stove and wandering about the house in
search of things to stick. Its unaccountable disappearance during his
absence in another room did much to mar the harmony of an otherwise
perfect day. First of all he searched the house from top to bottom;
then, screwing up his features, he beckoned quietly to Mrs. Chinnery.

"I hadn't left it ten seconds," he said, mysteriously. "I went into
the front room for a bit of stick, and when I went back it had
gone--vanished. I was never more surprised in my life."

"Don't bother me," said Mrs. Chinnery. "I've got enough to do."

"Eh?"

Mrs. Chinnery, who was hot and flustered, shook her head at him.

"It's a very odd thing," said Captain Sellers, shaking his head. "I
never lost a glue-pot before in my life--never. Do you know anything
about that charwoman that's helping you?"

"Yes, of course," said Mrs. Chinnery.

The captain put his hand to his ear.

"Yes, of course."

"I don't like her expression," said Captain Sellers, firmly. "I'm a
very good judge of faces, and there's a look, an artful look, about
her eyes that I don't like. It's my belief she's got my glue-pot stowed
about her somewhere; and I'm going to search her."

"You get out of my house," cried the overwrought Mrs. Chinnery.

"Not without my glue-pot," said Captain Sellers, hearing for once. "Take
that woman upstairs and search her. A glue-pot--a hot glue-pot--can't go
without hands."

Frail in body but indomitable in spirit he confronted the accused, who,
having overheard his remarks, came in and shook her fist in his face and
threatened him with the terrors of the law.

"A glue-pot can't go without hands," he said, obstinately. "If you had
asked me for a little you could have had it, and welcome; but you had no
business to take it."

"Take it!" vociferated the accused. "What good do you think it would be
to me? I've 'ad eleven children and two husbands, and I've never been
accused of stealing a glue-pot before. Where do you think I could put
it?"

"I don't know." said the captain, as soon as he understood. "That's what
I'm curious about. You go upstai