H. O. came back quite quickly, and Albert-next-door's uncle came with
him.

'What is all this, Albert?' he cried. 'Alas, alas, my nephew! Do I find
you the prisoner of a desperate band of brigands?'

'Bandits,' said H. O; 'you know it says bandits.'

'I beg your pardon, gentlemen,' said Albert-next-door's uncle, 'bandits
it is, of course. This, Albert, is the direct result of the pursuit of
the guy on an occasion when your doting mother had expressly warned you
to forgo the pleasures of the chase.'

Albert said it wasn't his fault, and he hadn't wanted to play.

'So ho!' said his uncle, 'impenitent too! Where's the dungeon?'

We explained the dungeon, and showed him the straw pallet and the ewer
and the mouldering crusts and other things.

'Very pretty and complete,' he said. 'Albert, you are more highly
privileged than ever I was. No one ever made me a nice dungeon when I
was your age. I think I had better leave you where you are.'

Albert began to cry again and said he was sorry, and he would be a good
boy.

'And on this old familiar basis you expect me to ransom you, do you?
Honestly, my nephew, I doubt whether you are worth it. Besides, the sum