"Indeed, sir—indeed, I never saw it in my life?" whimpered the housemaid, fumbling her apron uneasily.
"Such a thing never happened in the house before," cried Mrs. Simmons. "I never knew of such a thing in all my born days!"
Even the boys looked grave and anxious. Willy wondered what could be the matter.
"I had them—I had them safe yesterday before dinner—I could take my affidavit upon it!" exclaimed the angry Sir Hugh. "This is a matter for the police. I'll not keep a pack of thieves in my house—"
"O sir! Oh! Your worship—I'm sure I never touched them!" sobbed the housemaid.
"You know that it's you, and you only, as cleans out that room," said Mrs. Simmons.
"But I had not even been in it since the morning. Oh dear! Oh my poor mother!" and the girl wept aloud.
"I'll examine every box in the house, not a trunk or a parcel shall be unsearched," cried Sir Hugh. "I'll have the constables in at once, and the offender shall be punished with all the rigour of the law, should he die in jail," added the knight with an oath, as he glanced fiercely round upon the household.
"What has happened?" whispered Willy softly to his brother.
"Sir Hugh has lost two ten-pound bank-notes."