ow much are you reckoning to get out of me--what?"

"No performance, no pay!" said Miss Pett. "Wait till I've managed things
for you. I know how to get you safely away from here--leave it to me,
and I'll have you put down in any part of Norcaster you like, without
anybody knowing. And if you like to make me a little present then----"

"You're certain?" demanded Mallalieu, still suspicious, but glad to
welcome even a ray of hope. "You know what you're talking about?"

"I never talk idle stuff," retorted Miss Pett. "I'm telling you what I
know."

"All right, then," said Mallalieu. "You do your part, and I'll do mine
when it comes to it--you'll not find me ungenerous, missis. And I will
have that drop of whisky you talked about."

Miss Pett went away, leaving Mallalieu to stare about him and to
meditate on this curious change in his fortunes. Well, after all, it was
better to be safe and snug under this queer old woman's charge than to
be locked up in Norcaster Gaol, or to be hunted about on the bleak moors
and possibly to go without food or drink. And his thoughts began to
assume a more cheerful complexion when Miss Pett presently brought him a
stiff glass of undeniably good liquor, and proceeded to light a fire in
his prison: he even melted so much as to offer her some thanks.

"I'm sure I'm much obliged to you, missis," he said, with an attempt at
graciousness. "I'll not forget you when it comes to settling up. But I
should feel a good deal easier in my mind if I knew two things. First of
all--you know, of course, I've got away from yon lot down yonder, else I
shouldn't ha' been where you found me. But--they'll raise the
hue-and-cry, missis! Now supposing they come here?"

Miss Pett lifted her queer face from the hearth, where she had been
blowing the sticks into a blaze.

"There's such a thing as chance," she observed. "To start with, how much
chance is there that they'd ever think of coming here? Next to none!
They'd never suspect me of harbouring you. There is a chance that when
they look through these woods--as they will--they'll ask if I've seen
aught of you--well, you can leave the answer to me."

"They might want to search," suggested Mallalieu.

"Not likely!" answered Miss Pett, with a shake of the poke bonnet. "But
even if they did, I'd take good care they didn't find you!"

"Well--and what about getting me away?" asked Mallalieu. "How's that to
be done?"

"I'll tell you that tomorrow," replied Mis