"Well, sir, it was a fearful row he was a-making," explained John. "Soon as I came this morning, about five o'clock, I was passing through the stack-yard when I heard an awful thumping at the coach-house door from the inside. Of course, I knew nowt about there being anyone theer, so I just goes straight up and opens the door, to see what was the matter, like, and, lor, I did 'ave a skeer, and no mistake! It wur quite dark, and I could see nowt but a pair o' heyes a-glaring at me as savage as a wild animal's. 'Coom out o' this 'ere and let's ha' a look at yer,' I says, for, d'ye see, I thought as it wur someone who had crept in unbeknown in the daytime and got locked in by mistake. There warn't no answer, and I wur just about to strike a match and 'ave a look at 'im, when he springs at me like a wild cat. I tried to hold him and I'm darned if he didn't nearly make his teeth meet through my hand." He touched his right hand lightly, and I noticed for the first time that it was bandaged up. "He got away from you, then?" I remarked. "Got away from me?" John repeated, in a tone of utter disgust. "He warn't such a sweet-looking object, or sweet-tempered 'un either, that I wur over-anxious for the pleasure of his company, he warn't! I just got my hand out of his jaws and let him go as fast as he liked, with a jolly good kick behind to help him on, too. You see, sir, I didn't know as you'd anything to do with putting him in there," the man added apologetically. "I thought he'd got in quite promiscuous-like." To tell the truth, although I had been alarmed at first, I did not particularly regret what had happened. At any rate, it saved me the bother of going over to the police-station at Mellborough. Still, the thought that he might even now be lurking about in the vicinity, with plenty of opportunities to provide a weapon for himself, was not altogether a pleasant one. "Who might he have been, sir?" John inquired curiously. "Just what I should like to know," I answered. "He's a lunatic and a dangerous one, that's certain--escaped from some asylum, I should think." And I told him of my adventure on the previous night, to which the whole group listened open-mouthed. "I'm thinking, sir," John remarked, when I had finished, "that it'd be as well for Foulds and I to have a scour round and see if we can't find him, or he'll be doing someone a mischief." "If you are not very busy I wish you would," I said. "I don't feel quite easy at the thought of his wandering about round here. If you do find him, lock him up and send word to the police-station at Mellborough." After breakfast that morning my mother made a request which startled me almost as much it delighted me. "I am going to walk over to the monastery, Philip," she said quietly. "Will you come with me?" "Of course I will, mother," I answered promptly. "Nothing could give me greater pleasure. When will you start?"