As yet Haskins had said nothing about the phonograph. Some instinct told him to be silent about the discovery of the cylinder before this suave son of Ham, although he had absolutely no reason to mistrust the man. All the same he intended to use Geary's wits to obtain a Jekle & Co. phonograph in such a way as would not arouse suspicion concerning the particular use he intended to put it to. Yet why suspicions should be aroused by frankness Gerald could not say, for, on the face of it, there was nothing to point out that the cylinder was dangerous. Nevertheless Haskins' sixth sense made him hold his tongue and impose secrecy upon Tod. Consequently Macandrew held his peace while Gerald cautiously approached his aim of getting the machine. It seemed incredible that a phonograph of the special make required should be found in that unpretentious inn, or even in the village itself, seeing how buried both were. Still Haskins argued from the discovery of the roller, so marked, that a Jekle & Co. phonograph was to be had in the district. Being a novelist, Gerald had already spun a web of romance round the adventure, and was conducting the same to a close with constructive skill. Tod watched the progress of this real and tangible romance with careless interest. He thought that it was all moonshine and would end in smoke. "The Story of A Mare's Nest," Tod called it with fine irony, and giggled when Haskins stalked Mr. Adonis Geary. "There is very little to do in the evening here," began Gerald, finishing the last of his cheese, and addressing the landlord-waiter. "Very little, sah," replied Mr. Geary, who spoke moderately good Anglo-Saxon, yet betrayed his negro origin in an occasional word, and by a guttural intonation, "but you can walk to Silbury with the odder jemplem, for howlin' fun, sah." "Howling fun in a country town? My eyes," muttered Tod, still eating. "Dere's walking and de bicycle and fishin' and----" "Yes! yes! yes!" broke in Gerald artfully, "but I mean evening amusement--indoor doings. What you call----" "Parlor tricks," interpolated Macandrew. "Exactly! Well, Mr. Geary, have you a piano, or a harmonium?" "Dere's a harmonium in de chapel whar I preach," explained Adonis doubtfully, "but de instrument of de Lawd no good for debble's singing." "I have no intention of going to the devil for my amusement," said Gerald tartly, while Tod choked over his cider. "Have you any cards?" "Dem's de debble's pictures, sah." "Then pass along a concertina," remarked Tod, pushing back his chair with a sigh of repletion, "or even a Jew's harp, or a----" "Why not say a phonograph, while you're about it, Macandrew?" said Haskins, with feigned crossness, "we're as likely to find the one as the other in this place at the Back-of-Beyond." "With great respect, Mr. Haskins, sah," said Geary, falling into the trap promptly, "dere's my wife's phonograph. My wife Hannah let you hab dat phonograph to hear de godly hymns."