Don was silent and bit his lips. How long had the fellow been down cellar? Had he seen the merchandise and the powder that belonged to his uncle? Or had he known that they were there in the first place? Or had he gone down merely to fetch dry wood? Over and over Don asked himself the questions without being able to answer them. He glanced slyly at the Redcoat as he sat in front of the fire, toasting his fingers. The man was smiling to himself--a faint, inscrutable smile that told nothing. The fellow might be smiling because he had discovered the stuff, or he might be smiling merely because of the discomfiture that he knew he had caused the boy. Don could not tell which answer was right. At any rate he was glad that Snell was not in the house when Aunt Martha entered two hours later. If Snell had been there he would have learned just exactly what she thought of him and of his inquisitive visit to the cellar. Hawkins, however, did enter while Don and his aunt were discussing the matter. “What is wrong?” he asked, glancing from one to the other and then at the broken lock, which Don was trying to fix. “Your comrade,” replied Aunt Martha steadily, “has seen fit to force his way into the cellar to get wood with which to replenish the fire. Our fire-wood is in the back shed, and he knows it.” Hawkins frowned and then, taking the lock from Don’s hands, examined it. “There is a great deal of wood in the back shed, as you know,” continued Don’s aunt, “and I know that it is not all wet as he says it is.” “Just so,” said Hawkins and placed the lock on the table. “Just so.” And he went abruptly to his room. “There,” said Aunt Martha. “What did I say? They’re all alike, these Redcoats.” Later Snell returned, and while Don was helping his aunt to prepare the supper the two heard the sound of voices from up-stairs. Louder and louder they became until it was quite plain that the two soldiers were disagreeing over something. Suddenly the voices ceased, and the ceiling jarred with a heavy crash. “O Donald! What are they doing?” Steps sounded on the stairs, and a moment later Hawkins, red of face, entered the room. “I’d like a basin of hot water, if you please,” he said. Aunt Martha hastened to get it for him, and presently he returned with it to the room. He was down again in a few minutes and went out into the street. Don and his aunt had finished supper when Hawkins again entered the house. “Here, my lad,” he said and put a small package into Don’s hand. “No,” he added, smiling, “it’s something that you can very well accept. Don’t thank me for it.” And he hurried up-stairs. Don opened the package; it contained a new lock similar to the one that Snell had broken. “Well, I declare!” exclaimed Aunt Martha. “Donald, I believe I wronged that man.”