ch as a hand.

He spent most of the day out on the cliffs, idly watching the
military.

Mrs Penhaligon had invoked the aid of Farmer Best; and Farmer Best
(always a friend of the unfriended) had sent down two hay waggons to
transport the household stuff. By four in the afternoon, or
thereabouts, the last load had been carried and was in process of
delivery at Aunt Bunney's cottage.

At a quarter to five Nicky-Nan returned to the desolate house.
The front door stood open, of course. So (somewhat to his surprise)
did the door of the Penhaligons' kitchen.

"They're all behindhand," thought Nicky-Nan. "Better fit the good
woman hadn' been so forward to despise my helpin'."

He peered in cautiously. The room was uninhabited; stark bare of
furniture, save for the quadrant key left to hang from the midmost
beam; the "hellen "-slated floor clean as a new pin.

Nicky-Nan heaved a sigh. "So they've gone," he thought to himself;
"an' so we all pass out, one after another. A decent, cleanly woman,
with all her kinks o' temper. Much like my own mother, as I remember
her."

He passed into his parlour, laid down hat and walking-staff, and of a
sudden pulled himself upright, rigid.

Footsteps were treading the floor overhead.

For a moment it shook him almost to faintness. Then, swiftly, wrath
came to his aid, and snatching up his staff again he stumped out to
the foot of the stairway.

"Who's that, up there?"

"Ha! . . . Is that you, Nanjivell," answered the voice of Mr
Pamphlett. "A domiciliary visit, and no harm intended." The figure
of Mr Pamphlett blocked the head of the landing.

Nicky-Nan raised his stick and shook it in a fury.

"You get out within this minute, or I'll have the law of 'ee."

"Gently, my friend," responded Mr Pamphlett soothingly. "I have the
Constable here with me, besides Mr Gilbert the builder. And here's
my Ejectment Order, if you drive me to it."

"When you promised me--" stammered Nicky-Nan, escalading the stairs
and holding his staff before him as if storming a breach.

"But,"--Mr Pamphlett waved a hand,--"we need not talk about ejectment
orders. By the terms of your lease, if you will examine them, the
landlord is entitled to examine his premises at any reasonable hour.
You won't deny this to be a reasonable hour. . . . Well, constable?
What about that cupboard?"

Nicky-Nan, reaching the doorway, gave a gasp. Across the room
Rat-it-all, on hands and knees, had pulled