He was talking and muttering to himself, but Cuthbert could not
catch the words. He seemed in a merry mood, for he laughed aloud
once or twice, and drank of the well and laughed again. Once
Cuthbert thought he caught the words "treasure" and "safe," but of
that he could not be certain; and it was not easy to see how Robin
could know this, seeing he had not stirred three paces from the
well.

And then a sudden flash came into Cuthbert's soul like one of
inspiration. Suppose the treasure was in the well itself? What more
likely? Would not that be the safest place of all? For the precious
metals would not hurt through contact with the water; and had he
not heard that the waters of this well possessed peculiar
properties for preserving anything thrown into them?

Cuthbert's heart beat so fast that he almost feared Robin would
hear his deep breathing; but the man was looking down into the
well, laughing to himself in the peculiarly malevolent fashion that
Cuthbert had heard before. He never moved from the side of the well
for the long hour he remained; and Cuthbert, waiting in feverish
impatience till he should be gone, felt as though he had never
known an hour so long.

But it ended at last. The tall figure reared itself upright, and he
heard the voice distinctly now.

"I must be going--I must be going. Miriam will be asking questions.
That hag is the plague of my life. All safe--all safe. And now I
will depart."