"What did you buy this morning at Mrs. Trivell's shop?" "Bottle o' blacking," replied Robert. "Sure it wasn't whitewash? What else did you buy?" "Penn'orth o' blacklead," said Robert cheerfully. "Making the case pretty black, ain't you? You didn't buy a pound of candles, of course--best wax candles. But, if you did buy candles, what were you going to do with them?" "I don't know what you can do wi' candles except light them," said Robert. "And you didn't buy a bottle of lubricating oil, because Mrs. Trivell hasn't got any. If you did buy a bottle of salad oil, what would you be going to do with it?" continued the policeman, in his best and brainish manner. "You can do pretty near anything wi' salad oil," declared Robert. "Among the things stolen from Windward House last night were a pair of silver candlesticks and a musical box, out of order, but perhaps it might play a tune if you oiled the works," said the policeman sternly. Robert stroked his nose and mentioned that an officer who could put one thing to another like that, was not at all required in Highfield parish. "What were you doing when this robbery was taking place?" came the question. "I fancy I might have been giving a hand," Robert admitted cautiously. "Who helped you?" "I don't know as anybody helped. But it wasn't a robbery, vor Mrs. Drake left all the things to Bessie," said Robert cheerfully. "And to other folks as well." "I b'ain't responsible vor that. First come, first served; and other volks take at their peril, I ses." "It's my duty to tell Miss Blisland you took the things. Where have you hidden 'em?" "Inside the peatstack. If you'm going to tell Kezia, I shall shift the things into town and sell 'em." "That's your affair," replied the constable. "Seems you haven't exactly committed a robbery, as you have a sort o' right to the things; and you haven't committed a trespass, as you can go into the house when you want to. So I can't charge you with anything. But I reckon it won't be long before you have the lawyers after you; and then the Lord ha' mercy on your pocket, Robert Mudge."