out the
sick people in the village, and how he cured them with herbs after Dr.
Break had given them up. Jerry could talk smugglers' French, of course,
and I had taught Rene plenty of English, if only he wasn't so shy. They
called each other Monsieur Gamm and Mosheur Lanark, just like gentlemen.
I suppose it amused poor Rene. He hasn't much to do, except to fiddle
about in the carpenter's shop. He's like all the French
prisoners--always making knick-knacks; and Jerry had a little lathe at
his cottage, and so--and so--Rene took to being with Jerry much more
than I approved of. The Hall is so big and empty when Dad's away, and I
will _not_ sit with old Amoore--she talks so horridly about every
one--specially about Rene.

'I was rude to Rene, I'm afraid; but I was properly served out for it.
One always is. You see Dad went down to Hastings to pay his respects to
the General who commanded the brigade there, and to bring him to the
Hall afterwards. Dad told me he was a very brave soldier from India--he
was Colonel of Dad's regiment, the Thirty-third Foot, after Dad left the
Army, and then he changed his name from Wesley to Wellesley, or else the
other way about; and Dad said I was to get out all the silver for him,
and I knew that meant a big dinner. So I sent down to the sea for early
mackerel, and had _such_ a morning in the kitchen and the store-rooms.
Old Amoore nearly cried.

'However, my dear, I made all my preparations in ample time, but the
fish didn't arrive--it never does--and I wanted Rene to ride to Pevensey
and bring it himself. He had gone over to Jerry, of course, as he always
used, unless I requested his presence beforehand. _I_ can't send for
Rene every time I want him. He should be there. Now, don't you ever do
what I did, child, because it's in the highest degree unladylike;
but--but one of our woods runs up to Jerry's garden, and if you
climb--it's ungenteel, but I can climb like a kitten--there's an old
hollow oak just above the pigsty where you can hear and see everything
below. Truthfully, I only went to tell Rene about the mackerel, but I
saw him and Jerry sitting on the seat playing with wooden toy trumpets.
So I slipped into the hollow, and choked down my cough, and listened.
Rene had never shown _me_ any of these trumpets.'

'Trumpets? Aren't you too old for trumpets?' said Una.

'They weren't real trumpets, because Jerry opened his shirt collar, and
Rene put one end of his trumpet against Jerry