alked across to where lay my cut and destroyed leather
valise, which I was turning over when I heard what had never thrilled
through the rooms of my uncle's house since I had been there--namely, a
light, heart-stirring, silvery-like song, and for a few moments I stood
listening, as it came nearer and nearer, till Lilla tripped into the
dark room, to start, stop short, and then colour up upon finding the
place occupied.

The next moment I was by her side restraining her, for she would have
darted away, and as I looked in her eyes I could read the story of the
happy little heart rejoicing at being freed from a hateful bondage.

I must give Tom the credit of being a most discreet companion, for he
suddenly found that it would be possible to repair my valise, and for
the next quarter of an hour he was busily cutting and unpicking the
great coarse stitches.

I was startled from my dreams back to the realities of life, for during
that quarter of an hour existence had been bright and golden enough for
me, without thinking of anything else; and the gold, the Indians, my
uncle--everything had been forgotten, when Mrs Landell entered the
room.

"Have you seen your uncle?" she said to me, rather anxiously.

"Not during the last quarter of an hour or so," I replied. "He left us
to come indoors. Go and see if he is in the yard," I said to Tom.

Tom went, to return in about five minutes with the news that my uncle
had not been there for some time.

"Are you sure he came in?" said my aunt.

"Well, no--not sure," I replied; "he left us to come in. But, by the
way, Aunt, where would my uncle put plate or money that he wanted to
keep in safety?"

"Oh, in the strong chest in his little office here," said my aunt,
leading the way to a small cupboard of a room just large enough for his
desk, a stool, and an old sea-chest in which he kept his books, and, it
seemed, such money as he had not in use.

But my uncle had evidently not been there, for the door was closed, and,
after a moment's thought, Mrs Landell remembered that her husband had
not asked her for the key, which was in her pocket.

We waited ten minutes, after which both Tom and I went out to make fresh
inquiries, but without avail; then, pausing in the doorway, Tom said to
me in a low tone:

"Mas'r Harry, you always laughed at me, and said I was making bugbears;
but we've been watched and dodged ten times as much as you think for."

"Perhaps so, Tom," I said mood