day, but it isn't the
same."

"How wicked! And they call this a free country. I should see your M.P.
about it. Or wasn't he up when you called?"

The other shook his head.

"As a matter of fact," he said, "he was out of Town. George, give the
gentleman a match." The packer picked up a match-stand and set it by
Berry's side. "I'm so sorry about the chocolates. You see, I wasn't
expecting----Hullo!"

At the mention of the magical word Nobby had leapt from my unready grasp
and trotted across to the fireplace. There, to my disgust and vexation,
he fixed the master with an expectant stare, and then sat up upon his
hindquarters and begged a sweatmeat.

His favourer began to heave with merriment.

"What an engaging scrap!" he wheezed, taking a chocolate from an
occasional table upon which the contents of a dessert dish had
apparently been emptied. "Here, my little apostate.... Well caught!"

With an irrational rapidity the Sealyham disposed of the first comfit he
had been given for more than six months. Then he resumed the attractive
posture which he had found so profitable. Lazily his patron continued to
respond....

Resentfully I watched the procedure, endeavouring to console myself with
the reflection that in a few hours Nature would assuredly administer to
the backslider a more terrible and appropriate correction than any that
I could devise.

Would Jonah never come?

I stole a glance at the clock. Five and twenty minutes to two. And when
he did come, what then? Were he and Harry to blunder into the slough
waist-high, as we had done? Impossible. There was probably a man
outside--possibly a car, which would set them thinking. Then, even if
the brutes got away, their game would be spoiled. It wouldn't be such a
humiliating walk-over. Oh, why had Daphne come down? Her presence put
any attempt at action out of the question. And why....

A taxi slowed for a distant corner and turned into the street. For a
moment it seemed to falter. Then its speed was changed clumsily, and it
began to grind its way in our direction. My heart began to beat
violently. Again the speed was changed, and the rising snarl choked to
give way to a metallic murmur, which was rapidly approaching. I could
hardly breathe.... Then the noise swelled up, hung for an instant upon
the very crest of earshot, only to sink abruptly as the cab swept past,
taking our hopes with it.

Two-thirds of the silver had disappeared.

Berry cleared his throa