"No," was again the reply.
"And yet you say you've come to give the gentleman money, and not to beg," said the servant. "Now, youngster, take my advice—get off from here as fast as you can go, for it strikes me you are lurking about for no good. There's a bobby not far off who will come if I call him."
He shut the door in Dick's face, and the servant girl went back into the kitchen, and amused her companions by telling them that a boy had just come under the pretence of wanting to give some money to the master.
"That's just what those young rascals do," remarked the cook. "They are taught by the thieves who employ them to go to gentlemen's houses with some pretence that shall get them admitted inside—and then, whilst waiting, they take notice of doors and windows and bolts and keys, and go and tell their masters, who know how to set to work at night with their instruments when they come to break in. I daresay that that boy has been taking stock of the lower part of the house, for now I think of it, I saw a boy some time ago standing on the top of the area steps and looking down at the door and windows. This lad is the same, no doubt. He'll be as likely as not to come to-night with a practised house-breaker or two and try to get in."
"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Susan, the before-named girl, who slept in a room on the area floor with another kitchen domestic. "Dear me, cook! do you really think so? I'm sure I shan't dare to go to bed to-night."
"Take the poker to bed with you, and never fear," said the cook. "I should take a real pleasure in bringing it down on the back of a man if he had got in. I wish I'd the chance."
"Then do please, cook, change rooms with me to-night," exclaimed poor Susan, who was pale with fright, and too inexperienced in the study of human character to know that bragging was not courage. "I'm sure I should only scream if they came. I'm not brave like you."
But cook shirked exchanging rooms, saying the reason was that she could not sleep comfortably in any bed but her own, or else she'd do it with the greatest of pleasure.
While this conversation was going on in the kitchen, the innocent subject of it had ascended the steps, and was walking away from the house, when he heard the clatter of horse's hoofs behind him, and, looking round, he saw the very gentleman he was in search of coming through the square at a rapid pace. Dick recognised him in a moment, and was rejoiced to see him stop in front of No.—.
He jumped off his horse, and, as he was about to enter the house, he caught sight of Dick, who was bowing and trying to attract his attention.