"Ah, the doctor. The inquiry agent gave you his name, I believe?" "He did. It is Cooper." "Might not something be gained from him?" I caught at the suggestion. "A good thought, Bob." "We do not know," continued my shrewd adviser, "who this Dr. Cooper is, whether he is a practitioner of repute, and whether any relations of a confidential nature existed between him and Mr. Nisbet." "You are letting in light," I said. "Go on." "So far as you have gone you are ignorant of this doctor's standing. If he holds a good position, if he has an extensive practice, we shall obtain no assistance from him. No respectable medical man would run a risk for the sake of a bribe. As a rule, doctors are the kindest men in the world; but here and there you may meet with a backslider, or with one who has been careless in such a matter as this, or with one whose necessities lay him open to temptation. That is the extent of my suggestion; but it appears to me to be worth following up--on the off-chance, as sporting men say." "It shall be followed up," I said. "To-morrow I will make inquiries concerning him. And now we will get a little sleep. It is not likely we shall be disturbed again." We lay down in our clothes, and were awake betimes. But Barbara was up before us; and when we rose we found the room nicely tidied up, a bright fire burning, the kettle singing on the hob, and the table ready spread for breakfast. "Bravo, Barbara," I said. "You are a handy little girl." "I thought you'd like it done, sir," she said; "and I moved about very quiet so as not to wake yer. I slep' like a top, and I feel ever so much better than I did last night. But yer did give me a start, yer did, when yer come upon me in the kitching." "You are not sorry for it now?" "I'm glad, sir. It was a reg'lar slice of luck." "You shall find it so. Any more shadows, Barbara?" "No, sir. I never feel 'em in the daytime; it's only at night that I'm afeerd." "We'll put a stop to all that, my girl. Let us get breakfast over; I dare say you're ready for it." "That I am, sir. I'm allus ready to tuck in." Despite the seriousness of our situation, we were quite a cheerful party. We had provided liberally, and we made a hearty meal, Barbara, to our mingled pity and admiration, proving herself a champion in that line. Had she been of colossal proportions instead of an attenuated mortal, literally all skin and bone, she could scarcely have eaten more. A full meal was a delightful novelty to her, and she greatly distinguished herself. "I wouldn't call the queen my aunt," she declared, when we rose from the table, which we considered a very original remark, although its application was not exactly clear.