"In the water. Just beyond a little two-oared boat moored to a landing-stage at the bridge foot." [Sidenote: A searching party.] "Verily, I think we may place our confidence and credence--" once more began the snuffling tones; but they were interrupted by Lawrence Lee. "Never mind that now, Master Ferguson," he said. "The best thing to be done is to go to work and rescue this tell-tale knife before any prying eyes have been beforehand with us." "Ay, well said!" cried Lord Howard. "Have with you, then, Master Lee. Come, friend," he went on, addressing Sheppard, "down with your bolts again." But Sheppard hesitated, casting appealing glances round. "Why, what ails the fellow now?" demanded Howard; "first he hesitates at putting them up, and now he won't take them down!" "Mistress Sheppard--my--my wife!" stammered the unfortunate man. "She--that is, so please your lordship's worship's grace, she's such a wide-awake--" "What the mischief! Isn't she a-bed yet?" laughed Howard. "Come, come, landlord, I'm afraid you rule your house sadly amiss." "I--I don't rule it, my lord. 'Tis Miss--Mistress Sheppard who--who--" "He speaks true enough there, my lord," said Rumbold grimly. "Yes, yes," gasped the poor man in tones of relief; "Master Rumbold--he'll answer for me I speak nothing but the truth. Mistress Sheppard--she's always the last in the place to go to bed. She likes--that's what she says, my lord--likes to see all safe first. And sure as a gun, she's posted outside there in the passage. And--and if the whole--whole gang of us goes swarming out by the door here, like bees out of a hive, she'll be following us to see what we're after--and--and--" "Quite true," nodded Rumbold; "and by midday the whole parish will be twittering the tale." [Sidenote: The wrong way out.] "Oh, these women!" groaned Howard; "they must always be meddling. Well, what's to be done, then? Shall we go hunting in couples, or one at a time?" "'Tis not to be risked," said Sheppard, shaking his head. "You see, my lord--saving your lordship's presence and yours, gentlemen"--he added, blinking his small eyes uneasily round on the circle of his guests, who had risen to their feet, impatient to begin the search, "Mistress Sheppard doesn't seem to have taken much of a fancy, so to speak, to a man-jack of the lot of you. Don't like the looks o' you, she says. And I'd sooner be a mouse within sight of our cat Tiger than havin' Mistress Shep--Sheppard--" "Smell a rat," rather ruefully laughed Howard. "Well, what's the remedy?"