in by the back way. It
saves time. Tired, Millie?"

"No, dear, thank you."

"Without being tired," said Garnet, "I am distinctly ready for tea.
What are the prospects?"

"That'll be all right," said Ukridge, "don't you worry. A most
competent man, of the name of Beale, and his wife are in charge at
present. I wrote to them telling them that we were coming to-day. They
will be ready for us."

They were at the front door by this time. Ukridge rang the bell. The
noise reechoed through the house, but there were no answering
footsteps. He rang again. There is no mistaking the note of a bell in
an empty house. It was plain that the most competent man and his wife
were out.

"Now what are you going to do?" said Garnet.

Mrs. Ukridge looked at her husband with quiet confidence.

Ukridge fell back on reminiscence.

"This," he said, leaning against the door and endeavoring to button
his collar at the back, "reminds me of an afternoon in the Argentine.
Two other men and myself tried for three quarters of an hour to get
into an empty house, where there looked as if there might be something
to eat, and we'd just got the door open when the owner turned up from
behind a tree with a shotgun. It was a little difficult to explain.
There was a dog, too. We were glad to say good-by."

At this moment history partially repeated itself. From the other side
of the door came a dissatisfied whine, followed by a short bark.

"Halloo," said Ukridge, "Beale has a dog."

"And the dog," said Garnet, "will have us if we're not careful. What
are you going to do?"

"Let's try the back," said Ukridge. "We must get in. What right," he
added with pathos, "has a beastly mongrel belonging to a man I employ
to keep me out of my own house? It's a little hard. Here am I, slaving
to support Beale, and when I try to get into my house, his infernal
dog barks at me. But we will try kindness first. Let me get to the
keyhole. I will parley with the animal."

He put his mouth to the keyhole and roared the soothing words "Goo'
dog!" through it. Instantly the door shook as some heavy object hurled
itself against it. The barking rang through the house.

"Kindness seems to be a drug in the market," said Garnet. "Do you see
your way to trying a little force?"

"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Ukridge, rising. "We'll go round
and get in at the kitchen window."

"And how long are we to stay there? Till the dog dies?"

"I never saw such a man as you,