Nevertheless, when the Commandant turned to accept the assurance, half eagerly and yet less than half convinced, she would not meet his eye; but picked up the basket and staggered along with it to the Barrack door. "There's a saying," said Mrs. Treacher, eagerly, halting there, "that sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. I've found it comforting before now. But it don't seem to allow for three meals per diem; and how to make bacon and eggs for dinner look different from bacon and eggs for breakfast is a question that'll take thought. You didn't happen to think upon cheese, now?" "I did," said the Commandant, triumphantly. "There's half a pound of cheese--the very best Cheddar--or, so Tregaskis assured me." "Tregaskis!" Mrs. Treacher put down her nose and sniffed the basket. "Tregaskis never sold better than third-class American in all his life." "She comes from America," the Commandant hazarded. "I shouldn't advise you to build on that," said Mrs. Treacher, dubiously; "but we'll hope for the best; and with beer in the place of tea it mayn't look altogether like breakfast over again." He was stepping into the passage when she touched his sleeve in sudden contrition. "I didn't mention it before, sir; but hearing as the sailors had brought up her boxes, she outs with this and asks me to give it to them for their trouble." Mrs. Treacher held out a golden sovereign. The Commandant stared at it. "You kept it back?" he gasped. "I had to, sir. A couple of ignorant seamen--that didn't want it, either!" "Give it to me!" "There's one blessing--you can't possibly overtake 'em," said Mrs. Treacher, as the Commandant snatched the coin. He gazed down the hill, and decided that to this extent she was right. With one hand gripping the sovereign, and the other lifted to his distraught brow, the Commandant strode to the room where Vashti sat at breakfast. She looked up and welcomed him with a gay smile. CHAPTER XI PLAN OF CAMPAIGN Vashti sat on the low stone wall beyond the Keg of Butter Battery and gazed out over the twinkling Sound and the Islands. The wall ran along the edge of the cliff and moreover was ruinous, as the Commandant had cautioned her when she chose her perch.