"Could I hide him somewhere? Haw! Haw!" laughed the man. "He says, could I hide him somewhere?" And he looked round as if to address the robin; but the bird had flitted away, and Bunny Wrigg gazed straight in the boy's eyes again. "Of course I could, lad, and where no soldiers could find him and even you couldn't. You let me have him, and he'll be all right." "Bunny, you are a good fellow!" cried Waller excitedly. "And you shall have the best waistcoat and boots that money can buy." "Nay I sha'n't, lad," growled the man, "and if you say any more about them things I shan't play. That there young Frenchy chap must be a good sort, or you wouldn't have made him your friend. Why, I'd rather hear you call me a good fellow like you did just now, and think of me, being the young Squire, as your friend, than have all the weskits in the world. But I say, look here, Master Waller," said Bunny thoughtfully, "I could hide that chap in one of my snuggeries; but what about the winter time?" "What about the winter time?" said Waller, staring. "Ay; when it's always raining, or snow's on the ground. I don't mind, because the water runs off me, same as it would off a wild duck; and as for the frost and snow, I could roll in 'em like a dog. But such a chap as your friend--it'd kill him in no time. He'd be catching colds and sore gullets, and having the roomis." "Oh, but it wouldn't be for long." "What are you going to do with him then? Not setting anybody else to take care of him?" "Oh, no, no, Bunny." "Because I shouldn't like that, sir, when I'd undertook the job. What are you going to do with him then?" "Wait till the soldiers are gone, Bunny, and then get him down to the coast and smuggle him aboard a fishing-boat and get the skipper to run him across to Cherbourg or Saint Malo." "Ho!" said Bunny, thoughtfully, and then, giving his thigh a slap, "They wouldn't do it, sir. I mean the skipper wouldn't." "Wouldn't do it?" cried Waller. "Not him, sir. Why, he'd want five shillings at least before he'd stir." "Five shillings!" cried Waller contemptuously. "Why, Bunny, I'd give him five pounds." "You would, sir? Then hooroar!" "What do you mean by your hooroar?" cried Waller. "Why, hooroar, of course, I've got the chap as would do it." "Where?" cried Waller. "Why, I ar'n't got him in my pocket, lad, but there's my brother-in-law, him and his two mates, who've got a lugger of their own. Down yonder by Loo Creek, facing the Isle, you know. Five pounds! Why, they have to go and lay out their nets a many times to get five pounds. They'd do it--leastways, brother-in-law Jem would. Cherbourg, eh? Why, he's been there lots of times." "Splendid, Bunny?" cried Waller eagerly; and then, looking solemn at the thought of parting from his new friend: "But could you trust him, Bunny?" "Trust him, sir?" "Yes. I mean, he wouldn't betray the poor fellow, would he?"