Marky, would you mind getting me my boots?"

"Your boots?" cried the groom, looking with disgust, in the broadening
daylight, at a pair of very dirty, stockingless feet.

"Yes, lad; they're jus' behind that there spiky plant in the big tub."

"There, Mark!" cried Jane, triumphantly. "Burglars! What did I say?"

"Burglars, be hanged!"

"You scoundrel!" cried Sir Hilton. "What were you doing there?" and, as
if answering, the piteous wailing of a dog came from outside.

"Trying to get out to my poor little dawg, Sir Rilton, on'y my foot
slipped just as I was opening that top light. You oughter be ashamed of
yourself, you ought!"

"Well, of all the effrontery!" cried Granton.

"So he oughter, doctor. That there flower-stand's painted up ter
rights, but it's rotten as touchwood."

"You ruffian! You broke in, and have been hidden there all the time."

"Broke in, Sir Rilton. Nay, I wouldn't do sech a thing. I come in at
that glass door right and proper enough, to try and see her ladyship
about that pretty little dawg, but she and you was so busy having a row
over the family washing that I says to myself, `The best thing you can
do, Dinny's to call again,' and I was going to call again, as I says,
when that beggarly rotten old flower-stand give way. Hark at the pretty
little dear asking for his master."

For the puppy whined again.

"Well, you're a pretty scoundrel!" cried the doctor. "You dirty brute!
Here, Hilt, old fellow, I should have him locked-up in a horse-box while
you send for the police."

"What!" shouted the tout, struggling up into a sitting position. "What
for?"

"Burgling," cried Sir Hilton.

"Not me, sir. I ain't no burglar. Where's my jemmies and dark
lanthorns, and where's the swag? I swear I ain't touched a thing."

"You may swear that if you like when you're brought up before the Bench,
where I'm chairman, as it happens."

"Me--police--brought up before the Bench? You won't do it, Sir Rilton.
I knows too much."

"What!" cried Sir Hilton and the doctor together, while the ladies
exchanged glances.

"You don't want the dirty linen washed in public," said the tout, with a
chuckle. "Her ladyship there said so."

"Enough of this," cried Lady Lisle, who had recovered herself. "Let
this man be taken away and secured till the police come."

The imperious words had their effect upon one who was present, Mark
collaring the tout.

"And you--man," continued Lady Lisle, "are