“I’ll show you without making you promise that,” said Max good-humouredly; and the rest of the evening was spent over the board, which they only quitted to say “good-night” and retire to their rooms; but Kenneth did not go to his until he had been to the butler’s pantry, and then to the kitchen, which was empty, the servants having retired for the night, after banking up the fire with peat, which would go on smouldering and glowing for the rest of the night, and only want stirring in the morning to burst into a blaze.
There was something very suspicious in Kenneth’s movements as he crossed the kitchen in the faint glow, and a great tom-cat glowered at him as he stole away to the fireside and watched.
At one moment it seemed as if Kenneth was going to the larder to make a raid upon the provisions, but he stopped short of that door, and stood listening, and started violently as a sudden sound smote his ear.
It was the start of one troubled with a guilty conscience, for the sound was only a sharp tack made by the great clock, preliminary to its striking eleven.
“How stupid!” muttered Kenneth; and then he started again, for he heard a door close rather loudly.
“Father!” he muttered, and he ran to the entry and listened again, before going cautiously to the fire, where he suddenly made two or three snatches of a very suspicious character, and hurried out of the kitchen along a stone passage. Then all was silent about the place, save the lapping and splashing of the water among the rocks outside.