, old man," said Antony, as soon as they were away from the
house, "you really mustn't talk so loudly indoors. There was a gentleman
outside, just behind you, all the time."

"Oh, I say," said Bill, going pink. "I'm awfully sorry. So that's why
you were talking such rot."

"Partly, yes. And partly because I do feel rather bright this morning.
We're going to have a busy day."

"Are we really? What are we going to do?"

"They're going to drag the pond--beg its pardon, the lake. Where is the
lake?"

"We're on the way to it now, if you'd like to see it."

"We may as well look at it. Do you haunt the lake much in the ordinary
way?"

"Oh, no, rather not. There's nothing to do there."

"You can't bathe?"

"Well, I shouldn't care to. Too dirty."

"I see.... This is the way we came yesterday, isn't it? The way to the
village?"

"Yes. We go off a bit to the right directly. What are they dragging it
for?"

"Mark."

"Oh, rot," said Bill uneasily. He was silent for a little, and then,
forgetting his uncomfortable thoughts in his sudden remembrance of the
exciting times they were having, said eagerly, "I say, when are we going
to look for that passage?"

"We can't do very much while Cayley's in the house."

"What about this afternoon when they're dragging the pond? He's sure to
be there."

Antony shook his head.

"There's something I must do this afternoon," he said. "Of course we
might have time for both."

"Has Cayley got to be out of the house for the other thing too?"

"Well, I think he ought to be."

"I say, is it anything rather exciting?"

"I don't know. It might be rather interesting. I daresay I could do it
at some other time, but I rather fancy it at three o'clock, somehow.
I've been specially keeping it back for then."

"I say, what fun! You do want me, don't you?"

"Of course I do. Only, Bill don't talk about things inside the house,
unless I begin. There's a good Watson."

"I won't. I swear I won't."

They had come to the pond--Mark's lake--and they walked silently round
it. When they had made the circle, Antony sat down on the grass, and
relit his pipe. Bill followed his example.

"Well, Mark isn't there," said Antony.

"No," said Bill. "At least, I don't quite see why you know he isn't."

"It isn't 'knowing,' it's 'guessing,'" said Antony rapidly. "It's much
easier to shoot yourself than to drown yourself, and if Mark had wanted
to shoot himself in the water, with some idea of not