almost too much for them. For a
moment they looked at each other as well as the darkness would permit,
when all at once a large stone, which the doctor's slip had
overbalanced, fell down the bank and through the bushes with a loud
crash. Nothing more was wanting. All further effort to disguise their
feelings was dropped. Leaping the rail of the open field in a
twinkling, they gave a simultaneous yell of consternation, and fled to
the fort like autumn leaves before the wind, never drawing breath till
they were safe within the pickets."

"But what has all this to do with Peterkin?" asked Harry, as the
accountant paused to relight his pipe and toss a fresh log on the fire.

"Have patience, lad; you shall hear."

The accountant stirred the logs with his toe, drew a few whiffs to see
that the pipe was properly ignited, and proceeded.

"For a day or two after this, the doctor was observed to be often
mysteriously engaged in an outhouse of which he kept the key. By some
means or other, the skipper, who is always up to mischief, managed to
discover the secret. Watching where the doctor hid the key, he
possessed himself of it one day, and sallied forth, bent on a lark of
some kind or other, but without very well knowing what. Passing the
kitchen, he observed Anderson, the butler, raking the fire out of the
large oven which stands in the back-yard.

"`Baking again, Anderson?' said he in passing. `You get soon through
with a heavy cargo of bread just now.'

"`Yes, sir; many mouths to feed, sir,' replied the butler, proceeding
with his work.

"The skipper sauntered on, and took the track which leads to the
boat-house, where he stood for some time in meditation. Casting up his
eyes, he saw Peterkin in the distance, looking as if he didn't very well
know what to do.

"A sudden thought struck him. Pulling off his coat, he seized a mallet
and a caulking-chisel, and began to belabour the side of a boat as if
his life depended on it. All at once he stopped and stood up, blowing
with the exertion.

"`Hollo, Peterkin!' he shouted, and waved his hand.

"Peterkin hastened towards him.

"`Well, sir,' said he, `do you wish to speak to me?'

"`Yes,' replied the skipper, scratching his head as if in great
perplexity. `I wish you to do me a favour, Peterkin, but I don't know
very well how to ask you.'

"`Oh, I shall be most happy,' said poor Butter eagerly, `if I can be of
any use to you.'

"`I don't doubt your wil