"Beale," I said, "are you drunk?""Wish I was, sir," said the Hired Man.

　　"Then what on earth do you mean? Gone? Where have they gone to?""Don't know, sir. London, I expect.""London? Why?""Don't know, sir.""When did they go? Oh, you told me that. Didn't they say why they weregoing?""No, sir.""Didn't you ask! When you saw them packing up and going to thestation, didn't you do anything?""No, sir.""Why on earth not?""I didn't see them, sir. I only found out as they'd gone after they'dbeen and went, sir. Walking down by the Net and Mackerel, met one ofthem coastguards. 'Oh,' says he, 'so you're moving?' 'Who's a-moving?'

　　I says to him. 'Well,' he says to me, 'I seen your Mr. Ukridge and hismissus get into the three o'clock train for Axminster. I thought asyou was all a-moving.' 'Ho,' I says, 'Ho,' wondering, and I goes on.

　　When I gets back, I asks the missus did she see them packing theirboxes, and she says, No, she says, they didn't pack no boxes as sheknowed of. And blowed if they had, Mr. Garnet, sir.""What! They didn't pack!""No, sir."We looked at one another.

　　"Beale," I said.

　　"Sir?""Do you know what I think?""Yes, sir.""They've bolted.""So I says to the missus, sir. It struck me right off, in a manner ofspeaking.""This is awful," I said.

　　"Yes, sir."His face betrayed no emotion, but he was one of those men whoseexpression never varies. It's a way they have in the Army.

　　"This wants thinking out, Beale," I said.

　　"Yes, sir.""You'd better ask Mrs. Beale to give me some dinner, and then I'llthink it over.""Yes, sir."I was in an unpleasant position. Ukridge by his defection had left mein charge of the farm. I could dissolve the concern, I supposed, if Iwished, and return to London, but I particularly desired to remain inCombe Regis. To complete the victory I had won on the links, it wasnecessary for me to continue as I had begun. I was in the position ofa general who has conquered a hostile country, and is obliged tosoothe the feelings of the conquered people before his labours can beconsidered at an end. I had rushed the professor. It must now be myaim to keep him from regretting that he had been rushed. I must,therefore, stick to my post with the tenacity of an able-bodied leech.

　　There would be trouble. Of that I was certain. As soon as the news gotabout that Ukridge had gone, the deluge would begin. His creditorswould abandon their passive tactics, and take active steps. There wasa chance that aggressive measures would be confined to the enemy atour gates, the tradesmen of Combe Regis. But the probability was thatthe news would spread, and the injured merchants of Dorchester andAxminster rush to the scene of hostilities.

　　I summoned Beale after dinner and held a council of war. It was notime for airy persiflage. I said, "Beale, we're in the cart.""Sir?""Mr. Ukridge going away like this has left me in a most unpleasantposition. I would like to talk it over with you. I daresay you knowthat we--that Mr. Ukridge owes a considerable amount of money roundabout here to tradesmen?""Yes, sir.""Well, when they find out that he has--er----""Shot the moon, sir," suggested the Hired Retainer helpfully.

　　"Gone up to town," I amended. "When they find out that he has gone upto town, they are likely to come bothering us a good deal.""Yes, sir.""I fancy that we shall have them all round here to-morrow. News ofthis sort always spreads quickly. The point is, then, what are we todo?"He propounded no scheme, but stood in an easy attitude of attention,waiting for me to continue.

　　I continued.

　　"Let's see exactly how we stand," I said. "My point is that Iparticularly wish to go on living down here for at least anotherfortnight. Of course, my position is simple. I am Mr. Ukridge's guest.

　　I shall go on living as I have been doing up to the present. He askedme down here to help him look after the fowls, so I shall go onlooking after them. Complications set in when we come to consider youand Mrs. Beale. I suppose you won't care to stop on after this?"The Hired Retainer scratched his chin and glanced out of the window.

　　The moon was up, and the ga............