d had unlatched the door, scudded down
the garden like two frightened rabbits, and joined their father.

At the Vicarage, all this while, their return had been eagerly looked
for by Pennie and Nancy. They had heard the whole adventure of
Rumborough Common and the crock of gold with much interest, and although
the boys had been wrong to disobey orders, and were now in disgrace, it
was impossible not to regard them with sympathy. They had been through
so much that was unusual and daring that they were in some sort heroes
of romance, and now this was increased by their having penetrated into
that abode of mystery, Miss Barnicroft's cottage.

It was somewhat consoling to the boys, after their real alarm and
discomfort, to be received in this way at home, and questioned with so
much eagerness as to their experiences. Ambrose, indeed, warming to the
subject, was inclined to give a very highly-coloured description of what
had passed, and would soon have filled Miss Barnicroft's dwelling with
wonderful objects, if he had not been kept in check by David, who always
saw things exactly as they were, and had a very good memory.

"When we went in," began Ambrose, "some immense dogs got up and barked
furiously."

"Weren't you frightened?" asked Pennie.

"I wasn't," replied David, "because there were only two--quite small
ones, not bigger than Snuff, and they only growled."

"Miss Barnicroft had got her head all bound up in linen," pursued
Ambrose, "like the picture of Lazarus in the big Bible."

"It was a pocket-handkerchief," said David. "I saw the mark in one
corner."

"What was in the room?" asked Nancy.

"Nothing," said David, "except Miss Barnicroft, and two boxes and a
table, and the dogs."

"Oh, _David_!" broke in Ambrose in a tone of remonstrance; "there was a
great cauldron smoking over the fire, a regular witch's cauldron!"

"I don't know what a cauldron is," said David; "but there was a black
kettle, if you mean that."

"And only think, Pennie," continued Ambrose; "she offered us something,
she called _ambrosia_. I daresay it was made of toadstools and
poisonous herbs picked at night."

"She said it was honey and goat's milk," finished David; "but we didn't
taste it."

As long as there remained anything to tell about Miss Barnicroft,
Ambrose was quite excited and cheerful; but soon after the adventure had
been fully described, he became very quiet, and presently gave a heavy
sigh; on being asked by P