The landlady--otherwise Mrs. Pounce--entered the room. She was short, and old, and fat, and painted, and a widow. Students of character, as revealed in the face, would have discovered malice and cunning in her bright black eyes, and a bitter vindictive temper in the lines about her thin red lips. Incapable of such subtleties of analysis as these, the two young officers differed widely, nevertheless, in their opinions of Mrs. Pounce. Cosway's reckless sense of humor delighted in pretending to be in love with her. Stone took a dislike to her from the first. When his friend asked for the reason, he made a strangely obscure answer. "Do you remember that morning in the wood when you killed the snake?" he said. "I took a dislike to the snake." Cosway made no further inquiries. "Well, my young heroes," said Mrs. Pounce (always loud, always cheerful, and always familiar with her guests), "what do you want with me now?" "Take a glass of champagne, my darling," said Cosway; "and let me try if I can get my arm round your waist. That's all _I_ want with you." The landlady passed this over without notice. Though she had spoken to both of them, her cunning little eyes rested on Stone from the moment when she appeared in the room. She knew by instinct the man who disliked her--and she waited deliberately for Stone to reply. "We have been here some time," he said, "and we shall be obliged, ma'am, if you will let us have our bill." Mrs. Pounce lifted her eyebrows with an expression of innocent surprise. "Has the captain got well, and must you go on board to-night?" she asked. "Nothing of the sort!" Cosway interposed. "We have no news of the captain, and we are going to the theater to-night." "But," persisted Stone, "we want, if you please, to have the bill." "Certainly, sir," said Mrs. Pounce, with a sudden assumption of respect. "But we are very busy downstairs, and we hope you will not press us for it to-night?" "Of course not!" cried Cosway. Mrs. Pounce instantly left the room, without waiting for any further remark from Cosway's friend. "I wish we had gone to some other house," said Stone. "You mark my words--that woman means to cheat us." Cosway expressed his dissent from this opinion in the most amiable manner. He filled his friend's glass, and begged him not to say ill-natured things of Mrs. Pounce.