"And why d'you think of all the houses in the world He sent you to this one?" the other continued.
"Because of you, sir."
The Parson frowned, and approached his lips to the lad's ear.
"Because it's got a secret passage!"
This most matter-of-fact explanation flashed the laughter to the boy's eyes.
"I mean it," said the other earnestly. "Ain't you noticed anything about the floor of the kitchen?"
"It sounds hollow."
"It is hollow. It's built over an old decoy-pond."
In a few words the Parson outlined the history of the secret passage.
A water-way had led from decoy-pond to sea. The sea had gone back and left the water-way and pond high and dry. Sixty years back a sly old sea-dog had built this lonely cottage over the pond. He had covered the water-way and made a drain of it. Thus he had secured a secret passage to the sea, and the cottage had become the receiving depôt of Ruxley's crew.