You're not able to carry her. You would let her fall. But if, when I
come home, I find anything has happened to her, _I'll put you in the
water-but_--I WILL. And I'll do it when the moon is in it."

Tommy pulled a hideous face, and began to yell. Clare seized him by
the throat.

"Make that noise again, you rascal, and I'll choke you. If you're good
to baby while I'm away, I won't eat a mouthful till you've had some;
if you're not good to her, you know what will happen! You've got the
thing in your own hands!"

"She'll go an' do something I can't help, an' then you'll go for to
drown me!"

Again he began to howl, but Clare checked him as before. "If you wake
her up, I'll--" He had no words, and shook him for lack of any. "I
see," he resumed, "I shall have to lock you up in the coal-cellar till
I come back! Here! come along!"

Tommy was quiet instantly, and fell to pleading. Clare lent a gracious
ear, and yielding to Tommy's protestations, left him with his
treasure, and set out on his quest.

He got out through the kitchen, the rustiness of the fastenings of its
door delaying him a little, and over the wall by the imprisoned door,
taking care to lift as little as possible of his person above the
coping as he crossed. He dared not go along the wall in the daylight,
or get down in the smith's yard; he dropped straight to the ground.