said Mr Rimbolt, who had made no attempt to take part in the
babel outside, "will you please tell me everything?"

Jeffreys obeyed, and told his story in a concise and intelligent manner,
which convinced Mr Rimbolt he had not only an honest man but a
gentleman to deal with. The master of Wildtree was not an effusive man,
and if Jeffreys had looked to be overwhelmed with grateful speeches he
would have been disappointed. But he had not looked for it, and valued
far more the quiet confidential manner in which Mr Rimbolt entered into
all the details of the narrative.

"Then," said the latter, when the story was ended, "as a matter of fact
you have the three ruffians penned in the shed by your dog at this
moment--an excellent piece of management."

He rang his bell, and Walker, who had felt quite out of it for the half-
hour, appeared with great promptitude.

"Walker, are any of the men about still?"

"Appleby is holding this man's horse at the hall door, sir."

"Send Appleby here, and take the horse and cart round to the farm."

Poor Walker! This was a sad cut. The farm was half a mile away, across
the park; and this order meant that for another hour at least he must be
an outsider in the drama.

"Appleby," said Mr Rimbolt, when that jaunty youth appeared, "take
Benbow, and ride as quickly as you can, to the police-office at
Overstone. Tell the inspector with my compliments, to meet me with
three constables at Rodnet Bridge at six o'clock, that is, in three
hours. Come back as quickly as you can, and have the dog-cart at the
door at five."

"Now," said he to Jeffreys, when these various matters of business had
been put in train, "we may as well occupy our time by getting something
to eat, supper and breakfast in one--I dare say you are hungry."

As Jeffreys had scarcely eaten anything for three days--in fact, since
his visit to Grangerham--he could honestly admit being ready for a meal.

"I'm afraid we must forage for ourselves, unless some one is about,"
said Mr Rimbolt, leading the way to the pantry.

It was a curious spectacle that of the millionaire and the tramp
together investigating the contents of the pantry shelves and lockers,
lifting up dish-covers here, and critically testing the consistency of
pie-crusts there. They made a fairly good selection of the good things
which came nearest to hand, and retiring with them to the adjacent
kitchen, accomplished a meal more luxurious to Jeffreys' mind