The escape of Penwarden was a blow, the more crushing because so mysterious. After church on Sunday, Tonkin and his fellows foregathered with the tub-carriers in the Five Pilchards, where Mrs. Doubledick attended to them in her husband’s absence. The young farm labourers had been in complete ignorance of the presence of Penwarden behind the stacked barrels. His projected deportation was the secret of Tonkin and a few trusty friends, who knew better than to run the risk of being betrayed by an informer. They were still anxious to guard their secret, and being unable to discuss the matter freely in the presence of the carriers, they made themselves so unpleasant that the latter presently betook themselves in dudgeon to the Three Jolly Mariners. But even when the important people had the taproom of the Five Pilchards to themselves, they were at a loss. In Doubledick’s absence no light could be thrown on the mystery. "Do ’ee know wheer yer man be, Mistress?" asked Tonkin of the gaunt woman behind the bar. "I do not," she replied, "but ’a will come home-along in a day or two, to be sure. He loves his home, does Doubledick." "Well, you ought to know, if anybody." "Hey, my sonnies," said a voice at the door, and Petherick entered. "I be come to jine ye in yer laughter and merrymakin’." "Then you be come the wrong road," said Tonkin gloomily. "We be downcast and dismal." "Ay, mumchanced and mumblechopped," added Nathan Pendry. "You do surprise me! Never did I see anything that tickled my ribs so much as they two King’s servants lashed to the holy bell. I don’t care who the man is, ’twas a merry notion. But good now! I know what yer dark thoughts be. ’T’ud make angels weep and wail, so ’twould. To think that Cuby’s ghost will walk never more!" "Oh, Cuby’s ghost be jowned! If ye do know anything, tell it out without hawkin’ and spettin’, constable," said Tonkin. "Well, neighbour Doubledick be a lost soul this day, that’s sartin," said Petherick. "My Billy be dead!" shrieked Mrs. Doubledick, sinking into a chair and rocking herself to and fro. "No, no, Mistress," said Petherick. "It bean’t gone so far as that. Dry yer eyes, woman. He bean’t a corp, ’s far ’s I do know, but never will ye see un again, no, never." "Name it all, constable, don’t spin it out so long," said Nathan Pendry. "Put the ’ooman out of her misery." "Well, I will. Neighbour Doubledick be this day in Rusco." "Dear life!" exclaimed Mrs. Doubledick. "How do ’ee know that, constable?" asked Tonkin. "I heerd it all wi’ my own ears. Seems as if Joe Penwarden was to go, but the voyage wer too much for his old aged stummick, so he and young Trevanion sent neighbour Doubledick instead." He then repeated what he had overheard at the window of the Parsonage, his audience listening in wrath and amazement.