wake him. You can't object to that. If you do--"

Mrs. Scutts's head began to swim. "I'll go up and see whether he's
awake," she said.

She closed the door on them and stood with her hand to her throat,
thinking. Then, instead of going upstairs, she passed into the yard
and, stepping over the fence, opened Mr. Flynn's back door.

"Halloa!" said that gentleman, who was standing in the scullery
removing mud from his boots. "What's up?"

In a frenzied gabble Mrs. Scutts told him. "You must be 'im," she said,
clutching him by the coat and dragging him towards the door. "They've
never seen 'im, and they won't know the difference."

"But--" exclaimed the astonished James.

"Quick!" she said, sharply. "Go into the back room and undress, then
nip into his room and get into bed. And mind, be fast asleep all the
time."

Still holding the bewildered Mr. Flynn by the coat, she led him into the
house and waved him upstairs, and stood below listening until a slight
creaking of the bed announced that he had obeyed orders. Then she
entered the parlour.

"He's fast asleep," she said, softly; "and mind, I won't 'ave him
disturbed. It's the first real sleep he's 'ad for nearly a week. If
you promise not to wake 'im you may just have a peep."