were miles beyond
the range of vision, so that the long tramp was by no means ended,
and, feeling the necessity for covering as much ground as possible
while the world at large was still in what Dollops was wont to
allude to as "the arms of Murphy's house," the little party continued
to press onward persistently.

By four o'clock they were again off the moors and in the depths of
craggy gorges; by five they were on the borders of a deep, still
tarn, and had called a halt to light a fire and get things out of
the bag which Dollops carried--things to eat and to drink and to
wear--and were enjoying a plunge in the ice-cold water the while
the coffee was boiling; and by six--gorged with food and soothed by
tobacco--they were lying sprawled out on the fragrant earth and
blinking drowsily while their boots were drying before the fire. And
after that there was a long hiatus until Cleek's voice rapped out
saying sharply, "Well, I'll be dashed! Rouse up there, you lazy
beggars. Do you know that it's half-past twelve and we've been
sleeping for hours?"

They knew it then, be assured, and were up and on their way again
with as little delay as possible. Rested and refreshed, they made
such good time that two o'clock found them in the Morcam Abbey
district, just over the borders of Cumberland, and, with appetites
sharpened for luncheon, bearing down on a quaint little hostlery
whose signboard announced it as the Rose and Thistle.

"Well, there's hospitality if you like," said Cleek, as, at their
approach, a cheery-faced landlady bobbed up at an open window and,
seeing them, bobbed away again and ran round to welcome them with
smiles and curtseys delivered from the arch of a vine-bowered door.

"Welcome, gentlemen, welcome," beamed she as they came up and joined
her. "But however in the world did you manage to get over here
so soon?--the train not being due at Shepperton Old Cross until
five-and-twenty past one, and that a good mile and a quarter away as
the crow flies. However, better too early than too late--Major
Norcross and Lady Mary being already here and most anxious to meet
you."

As it happened that neither Cleek nor Mr. Narkom had any personal
acquaintance with the lady and gentleman mentioned, it was so
clearly a case of mistaken identity that the superintendent had
it on the tip of his tongue to announce the fact, when there
clashed out the sound of a door opening and shutting rapidly, a
clatter of hasty footstep