t I was going to say was, you'll be tumbling off your seat
and find yourself under the wheel before you know where you are; so I'd
advise you to get behind there, and curl down into the straw. Then, if
you draw my top-coat over you, you'll be safe and warm both."

Mona needed no second bidding. She almost tumbled into the clean,
sweet-smelling straw. "Thank you," she was going to say, as she drew the
coat up over her, but she only got as far as 'thank,' and it seemed to her
that before she could say 'you,' she was roused again by the cart drawing
up, and there she was at her grandmother's gate, with granny standing on
the doorstep peering out into the dimness. She thought she had closed her
eyes for only a minute, and in that minute they had travelled three miles.

"Is that you, Mr. Dodds?" Granny called out sharply. "Whatever made 'ee
come at this time of night? 'Tis time your poor 'orse was 'ome in his
stable, and you in your own house!"

"I've come on purpose to bring you something very valuable, Mrs. Barnes.
I've got a nice surprise for 'ee here in my cart. Now then, little maid,
you've come to the end of your journey--and I've got a brave way to go."

Mona was still so sleepy that she had to be almost lifted out of the cart.

"What! Why! Mona!" Then, as Mona stumbled up the path she almost fell
into her grandmother's arms. "What's the meaning of it? What are they
thinking about to send 'ee back at this time of night! In another few
minutes I'd have been gone to bed. I don't call it considerate at all."

"They don't know," stammered Mona. "I wasn't sent, I came. Oh, granny,
don't ask about it now--let me get indoors and sit down. I'm so tired I
can't stand. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."

But tired though she was, she turned back and thanked her rescuer.
"I'd have been sleeping under a hedge to-night, if it hadn't been for
you," she said gratefully.

"Oh, what I did isn't anything," he said amiably. "'Tisn't worth speaking
about. I don't doubt but what you'd do as much for me, if I wanted it.
Good night, Mrs. Barnes. Take care of yourself, ma'am, it's a bit fresh
to-night. Good night, little maid. Gee-up, Nettle, my son."

What he had done was a mere nothing, as he said. But what he did do
before the night was over was a very big something. Between two and three
hours later he was in Seacombe, and knocking at Peter Carne's door.

"I knew you'd be anxious, so I thought I'd just