quite
right: there _is_ a mystery here, though it has nothing to do with
German spies. I rather fancy I'm in a position to get to the bottom
of it."

On Saturday, almost at blink of dawn, the Penhaligons started
house-moving. Mrs Penhaligon had everything ready--even the last
box corded--more than thirty-six hours earlier. But she would
neither finish nor start installing herself on a Friday, which was an
unlucky day.

The discomfort of taking their meals on packing-cases and sleeping on
mattresses spread upon the bare floor weighed as nothing with the
children in comparison with the delightful sense of adventure.
Neither 'Bert nor 'Beida, when they came to talk it over, could
understand why their mother was in such a fever to quit the old
house. Scarcely ten days before she had kept assuring them, almost
angrily, that there was no hurry before Michaelmas. It was queer,
too, that not only had she forbidden them to accept even the smallest
offer of help from Nicky-Nan when he showed himself willing (as he
expressed it) for any light job as between neighbours, but on 'Bert's
attempting to argue the point with her she had boxed 'Biades' ears
for a quite trifling offence and promptly collapsed and burst into
tears with no more preparation than that of throwing an apron over
her head.

"She's upset," said 'Bert.

"If you learn at this rate, you'll be sent for, one of these days, by
the people up at Scotland Yard," said 'Beida sarcastically. But you
cannot glean much intelligence from a face which is covered by an
apron.

"She's upset at leavin' the house. Women are like that--always--when
it comes to the point," 'Bert persisted.

"Are they? I'll give you leave to watch _me_. And I'll bet you
sixpence."

"You're not a woman yet. When the time comes you may start cryin' or
you mayn't. But I'll take even money you box 'Biades' ears."

'Beida's glance travelled to that forlorn child. "I'll not take any
bet," she announced; "when you know that it may be necessary at any
moment--he's that unaccountable." She lifted her voice so that the
innocent culprit could not avoid hearing. "I don't speckilate on a
_thief_," she added with vicious intention.

"Hush--hush!" said 'Bert, and glanced anxiously at his sobbing
parent.

Nicky-Nan was the worst puzzled of them all. He had promised Sam
Penhaligon to do his best when the family shifted quarters: and now
Mrs Penhaligon would not hear of his lifting so mu