"It's--it's this way, ma'am," said Captain Cai sheepishly, after a long pause, diving in his pocket. "We wasn't exactly bound to fetch the--the musical box--which, Lord forgive me! I'd forgot for the moment--but to return _this_. How it came to find its way to my pocket I don't know." "And I don't know, either," mused Mrs Bosenna, as Dinah helped her to undress that night. (This undressing was, in fact, but a well-worn excuse for mistress and maid to chat and--due difference of position observed--exchange confidences before bedtime). "Captain Hocken is simple-minded, as any one can tell; but not absent-minded by nature. At least, I hope not. I hate absent-minded men." She glanced at her glass, and turned about sharply. "Dinah, you designing woman! I believe you slipped that box into his pocket? Yes, when you pretended that his coat wanted brushing,--I saw you!" CHAPTER VIII. 'BIAS APPROVES. As they departed and went their way down the coombe, a constrained silence fell between the two friends. Nor did either break it until they came again in sight of the railway station. "I don't altogether like the air in this valley," announced 'Bias. "It _is_ a trifle close, now you mention it," Cai agreed. "Nor I don't altogether cotton to the valley, neither. Pretty enough, you may say; but it gives you a _feelin'_--like as if you didn't know what was goin' to happen next." "Places do have that effect with some," Cai assented again, but more dejectedly. Horrid apprehension--if 'Bias should extend his dislike to Troy itself! "I'm feeling better already," 'Bias continued, answering and allaying this unspoken fear. "Is that the gasworks yonder?" "Yes. The _real_ scenery's at the other end o' the town." "The smell's healthy, they tell me." 'Bias halted in the roadway, and casting back his head took a long stare up at the gasometer. "You mustn' hurry me," he said, "I've got to enjoy _everything_." "No hurry at all," said Cai, from whose heart the words lifted a burden at least as heavy as the musical box under his arm. "Hullo! here's Bill Tregaskis with his missus! . . . Evenin', William--good evenin', ma'am!" Captain Cai pulled off his hat. "I hope you find your husband none the worse for the voyage?--though, to be sure, 'tisn' fair on him nor on any seamen, the way some folks reproaches us when we get back home." Mrs Tregaskis dropped a curtsey. "But be sure, sir--what reproaches?" "Your looks, ma'am--your looks, if I may say so! . . . William married you soon as he could, I'll wager; but, to be fair, that should ha' been ten years afore _you_ married _him_."