to devote my entire self, bodily and mental, to that one series of
movements: all else but one single impression, and that was of
malicious exultation upon the face of Chubb.

"You'll smile on t'other side of your face in a minute," thought I,
pressing my teeth together.

I was giving my hand its final adjustment to the pistol, when suddenly
a man dashed out of the covert at one side of the hollow, and ran
toward us, calling out in a gruff voice:

"Hold on a minute. Here's su'thin' fur you, Ensign Russell."

We had all turned at the first sound of the man's tread, fearing we
had been spied upon and discovered. But I now knew there was no danger
of that kind, for the voice belonged to old Bill Meadows.

"What do you mean?" I asked sharply, annoyed at the interruption.

"Nothin'. Read this here. I've follered yuh all evenin', thinkin' to
ketch yuh alone. I gev my word to get it to yuh, fust thing; an' fur
my own sake, I tried to do it unbeknownst. But now I must do it anyhow
I ken. So take it, an' my compliments, an' I trust yuh to keep mum an'
ask no questions, an' furget 'twas me brung it. And I'll keep a shet
mouth about these here goings on. Only read it now, fur God's sake."

He had handed me a sealed letter. My curiosity being much excited, I
turned to Falconer, and said:

"Will you grant me permission? 'Twill take but a moment."