Madge led the way, and they went over the house. It was a tiny one. Behind the solitary sitting-room was the kitchen. The kitchen was an old-fashioned one, with brick floor, and bare brick walls coloured white. In one corner a door led into the pantry; in another was a door into the scullery; there was nothing remarkable about either of these. Under the staircase was a roomy cupboard. They examined it with some thoroughness, by the aid of a lamp, without discovering anything out of the way. On the floor above were the bedrooms used by Ella and Madge, and a smaller room in which they stored their lumber. The walls of these were papered from floor to ceiling, and in none of them did there seem to be anything calculated to convey a hint as to the meaning of the cabalistic allusion. "It seems to me," observed Jack, when the work of exploration was completed, "that there's nothing about these premises breathing of either dogs or cats." "It is just possible," said Graham, "that they may be in the grounds. For instance, several of them may be buried there, and the reference may be to one of their graves." "Then do you propose to dig up the whole of the back garden till you light upon their hallowed bones?" Graham smiled. "I propose to do nothing." Madge struck in. "But I do; I mean to do a great deal. I'm going to strip all the wainscot off the sitting-room wall, and all the flooring up as well. And I'm going to continue that process till we reach the roof. I'm absolutely certain--absolutely certain, mind you!--that that unhappy man's hoard is somewhere within the four walls of this house, and I give you my word that I mean to find it." "How about the landlord?" asked Graham. "What about his feelings? By the way, who is the landlord?" "We're the landlord, Ella and I--or, at any rate, we very soon shall be." "But in the meantime?" "I don't know anything about a landlord. We took the house from Parker and Beading, the house agents over by the station." "They would probably be acting for some principal. Did they not tell you his name?" "They told us nothing. We took the house from them, and the supposition is that we're to pay the rent to them." "If you will allow me, I'll take the will away with me--if you will trust me with it--and obtain expert opinion as to its validity. I will also call on Messrs. Parker and Beading, and ascertain, if possible, on whose authority they are acting." "When will you do this?" "The agents I will call upon to-morrow, and will acquaint you, by letter, with the result." "You will do nothing of the kind--or, rather, I would prefer that you did not. Both Ella and I would prefer that you should come and tell us the result in person--that is if you can spare the time." Mr. Graham bowed, expressing acquiescence in the lady's wishes. And on that understanding the matter was left. When the two men had gone, Ella faced Madge with sparkling eyes.