"Oh, yes," said the girl eagerly. "You haven't seen any of them, have you?" "I? No," said Waller quickly. "What have you heard?" "Oh, I only heard what Tony Gusset said to Martha when he came in to talk to her last night." "What!" cried Waller. "Was that old stupid here last night?" "Yes; but he wasn't here long. Martha won't let him stay. She soon bundles him off again. She told me that he wouldn't be so fond of his sister if she wasn't the cook and couldn't ask him to have something to eat when he came. She does hate to see him here." "But what did he tell her?" "Oh, I don't know," said the girl pettishly. "Yes, you do, Bella. Tell me." "Well, will you promise to be a good boy and come back to your meals at proper times, and not keep everything waiting about?" "Oh, yes, of course. Now what was it?" "Oh, he told her that the French had landed on the coast to turn the King off the throne and put a new foreign one on it, and that the soldiers had met them and beaten them, all but a few who were spies, and had hidden themselves in the forest; but they were catching them all till there were hardly any left, and they were looking for them. And Tony Gusset said there was a reward of a hundred pounds offered for every one that was caught, and he meant to catch one and make himself rich." "He had better mind his mending shoes and hammering his old lapstone," cried Waller, with an unwonted show of anger. "What's it got to do with him?" "There, now, if that isn't funny!" said the girl, clapping her hands. "Why, that's just what Martha said to him, and he quite quarrelled with her. He said it was his duty as the village constable to apprehend all vagabonds, and that if his sister did not know how to pay him more respect he should not stoop to come and speak to her again." "Well done, cook!" cried Waller, laughing. "What then?" "Why, she up and told him that he was only a lazy vagabond himself, for he never did hardly any work, and that since he had been made constable the place had not been big enough to hold him. But there, I can't stop talking here; I have got to get your tea. What am I to say to Martha about your taking that pork-pie?" "Nothing," said Waller gruffly. "But she meant it for your tea." "Well, I had it for lunch instead. Now go away and don't bother." "Well, I am sure!" cried the girl. "What's come to you, Master Waller? You're as cross as two sticks." "Of course I am, if you stop chattering here instead of getting me my tea." "But it won't be tea-time for another hour." "I tell you it's always tea-time for anyone who hasn't had any dinner, so go and get it at once." Bella went out of the room, and gave the door a regular whisk to make it bang, but repented directly after, and let it strike against her foot, so that it was closed quietly. Waller jumped up from his chair in an unwonted state of excitement, as soon as he was alone, and began to walk hurriedly up and down the room.