"'Twere p'ison, sir."
"Poison!"
"Ay, sir. Jerry—so I called him, sir—were sound as a ship's bell one night, sir; next morning he were dead as mutton."
"But how do you know 'twas poison?"
"'Cos that very same day Comely was took bad and well-nigh went to glory, too. Where Comely goes, Gumley follers; my rheumatiz were very bad that day."
"'Tis plain you've got enemies, Gumley. I'm sorry for you. Comely looks all right now, at any rate. We'll see what we can do to get you a new donkey. But I mustn't waste time. I'll tell you what I've come for. Do you know where Sandy Cove is?"
Gumley gave a start, and looked round the room again with that uneasy glance which had attracted Jack's attention before.
"Axing your pardon, sir, would ye say why and wherefore you want to know that?"
"I don't think I can—at all events, not yet. But I'll tell you one thing. I'm on the king's business, and that will be enough for an old king's man, eh, Gumley?"
"True, sir, God save the king! All the same, I'd rather ye axed your question of some one else."