to
himself, "and there's his revolver and his sword, besides that old
hunting-knife in the shark's-skin case--there's every temptation for a
young man to do it. Oh, what a world this is! Why, that there Mark
Frayne's been the cause of all the trouble, and driven S'Richard away--
blow him!--Dick Smithson. I won't think of him by that name. But if I
went and did good to everybody by knocking Master Mark on the head, or
holding him under water till he was full and wouldn't go any more,
they'd try me for it, and then--Never mind: I won't think what. I
haven't patience with such laws."

Jerry stood listening, but all was very silent inside, and he grew more
uneasy.

"I won't go," he said to himself. "He means something, or he wouldn't
have been in such a jolly hurry to get rid of me. Phew! how hot it is
turned, and my hands and feet are like ice."

He wiped his damp forehead, and stood gazing at the door, shaking his
head mournfully, and with the dread of something wrong on the increase.
But all was still, and even that Jerry looked upon as a bad omen.

"I know," he muttered. "He has been and lost all his tin, and he's
making his will; and I don't want him to, even if he's going to leave me
that horse-shoe pin with diamonds in for nails. Here! I can't stand
this--I'll go in!"

Jerry hesitated for a few minutes, and then, unable to control the
intense desire to see what was going on, he was about to take hold of
the handle of the door, but he paused in doubt, for he had no excuse.

The next minute the excuse had come, and he entered quickly, to find
Lacey writing, and ready to look up inquiringly.

"Beg pardon, sir, thought you might be in your bedroom. Didn't happen
to see a little pig-skin purse, did you?"

"No!" said the lieutenant, gruffly.

"Sorry to have interrupted you, sir. Don't see it lying about, sir.
Thank ye, sir!"

Jerry had a sharp look round, and then he backed out again to close the
door after him, and stand hesitating and shaking his head.

"I don't like it," he muttered. "He ought to be tired out and glad to
jump into his bed; and here he is writing! He isn't a writing sort of
chap! Never hardly puts pen to paper! What's he writing for at a time
like this?"

Jerry shook his head very solemnly, and sat down to wait, with all
drowsiness gone and a nervous state of irritation steadily on the
increase as he sat on for a time that seemed to be interminable, always
on the _qui viv