to have some one come in with a new point of view."

"I'm sure you will be an addition to prison life. It's an ill wind, you
know."

"It's an ill wind for my sister, literally enough. Come, Holland, you
certainly can trust me. Do be starting."

"Why, what do you take me for?" said the exasperated Geoffrey. "Do you
really suppose that I am going, looking for a den of your accomplices in
order to give you a chance to escape?"

"'Accomplices!'" exclaimed McVay; and for the first time a shade of
anger crossed his brow; "'_accomplices'_! I have no accomplices.
Anything I do I think I am able to do alone. Still," he added putting
aside his annoyance, "if you feel nervous about leaving me I'd just as
lief give you my word of honour to stay here until you come back."

"Your _what_?"

McVay made a slight gesture of his shoulders, as if he were being a good
deal tried. "Oh, anything you like," he said. "I suppose you could lock
me up in a closet."

"I don't think we need trouble to arrange the details," said Geoffrey
drily. "But I'll tell you what I will do. After I get you safely in jail
to-morrow, I'll get a trap and go and look up this hut."

"It may be too late then."