"But are you sure it was last night?" "Yes, uncle, certain. I did mine at the same time. You must have had it out, Mark. It can't be lost." "I haven't had it out," cried the boy angrily. "I had breakfast, then went and had a talk with Dan, and then went to get the rifle, and it was gone." "Well, let the matter drop for a time," said Sir James quietly. "Is anything wrong?" said the doctor coming up. "Yes, my rifle's gone;" and after hearing what each had to say the doctor turned to Mark. "You feel sure about it now, my boy, but we all have such fits as that sometimes; then all at once the fact dawns upon us that we have put away the missing article to be safe, or for some other reason, and then we wonder how we could possibly have forgotten it." Mark nodded his head, looked at his cousin, and they went off together. "Yes, the doctor's right," said Dean, as soon as they were out of hearing. "You will remember it all by-and-by." "That I shan't," was the angry retort. "I feel as sure as can be that it has been stolen. Oh, here's Dan." They came in sight of that sturdy little individual, in company with Buck. "Here, Dan," cried Mark, "you know when I was talking with you a little while ago?" "Yes, sir, of course." "Had I got my rifle with me?" "No, sir. A'n't lost it, have you, sir?" "Yes, it's gone. You can't help me, can you, Buck?" "No, sir.--Here, stop a minute." "Ah! Now it's coming," cried Dean, laughing. "I told you so." "You told me!" cried his cousin scornfully. "You only said what father and the doctor had told me before. Now, Buck, what were you going to say? When did you see it last?" "Well, I saw it with you last, sir, when you relieved me on sentry." "That's two or three nights ago," said Mark impatiently. "Yes, sir; that must have been last Tuesday, and since then when you was on duty old Dan relieved you." "Oh, don't go on prosing about that," cried Mark angrily. "I know as well as you can tell me. I want to find my gun." "Well, sir, that's what I was going to tell you of, only you pretty well jumped down my throat." "Well, tell me, then, and put me out of my misery. Where is it?" "Oh, I don't know, sir." "Then why did you begin talking as if you did?" "Oh, come, Mr Mark, sir, don't get in a huff with a poor fellow. I warn't a-goin' to tell you where it was; I was a-goin' to tell you where it warn't." "Oh," cried Mark, stamping his foot, "isn't it enough to aggravate a saint? These two are just alike, going on telling you a thing over and over again, especially if it is something you don't want to know. Look here, Buck; I have lost my gun." "Yes, sir; you said so afore." "And I know as well as you do where it is not." "Exactly so, sir. You mean, in the arms rack as we made by driving them hard pegs into the courses of the wall." "Yes," said Mark. "Well?" "Well, sir, I was going to tell you--" "What were you going to tell me?" raged out Mark.