"Why?" echoed Mrs. Banfield, fiercely. "Because, as you was tellin' just now, sir, my lord has a strong will. Because my lord wants Saaron for his own. Because he wants to shoot rabbits. Because rabbits be of more account to him than men--and I don't blame him for it, seein' that all the men on the Islands be turned to mice in these days. Oh, 'tis an old tale! But there! You never heard of it. You never heard--not you--that the man was even unjust!" "But, my dear Mrs. Banfield----" "Go'st thy ways, good Governor. You was the poor man's friend--one time; but now there's too much Christianity in you.... And no more will I answer until you tells me who your guest is, that eats two breakfasts in one morning." The Commandant gazed at her in mild surprise. Doubtless he would have asked the meaning of this cryptic utterance; but at this moment the two seamen from the _Milo_ issued forth from the gateway up the road; and, descending a few paces, turned to call back farewell to Mrs. Treacher, who, having escorted them so far, halted under the arch and stood, with hands on hips, to watch them out of sight. "Wish 'ee well, I'm sure!" said Mrs. Treacher. "You understand we be poor people in these parts." "Don't mention that, ma'am," said one of the seamen, politely. "There's no talk of favours, as between us and Madame," called out the other. They passed the Commandant and saluted. On a sudden it struck him that these men would expect a small monetary acknowledgment for their trouble; and hastily nodding good-morning to Mrs. Banfield and Mrs. Medlin, he ran staggering up the slope to the gateway. "Mrs. Treacher!" he panted, dumping down his burden, "I--er--it so happens that I have no small change about me." "Me either," said Mrs. Treacher, idiomatically, and bent over the basket. "What's this?" "You will forgive my mentioning it, Mrs. Treacher; but these good fellows very likely expected a sixpence or so for their trouble. If you wouldn't mind lending me back--for a short time only, a couple of shillings out of the four that--that I----" "Very sorry, sir," said Mrs. Treacher, "but I spent 'em." "What! Already?" "Which I didn't like," pursued Mrs. Treacher, stonily, "to insult the lady's stomach with the kind of eatables I found in the larder. So while you was away, sir, I took the liberty to slip down to Tregaskisses and lay out three shillings. Which, finding no one in charge but that half-baked boy of his, I got good value for the money; and a sight better bacon than this, I don't mind saying--for all you have been so lavish." She peered into the basket and looked up sharply. It was a cross-examining look, and seemed to ask where he had found the money for all this extravagance. The Commandant, evading it, turned and stared down the road, where already the two seamen had passed out of sight. "You needn't mind them, sir," said Mrs. Treacher, reassuringly. "It's light come and light go with sailors."