"I do that, sir."

"Tis well. If the worst comes to the worst, kill the women out
of hand, or with your own hand- I don't care which. Age before
honesty, you know."

With that I left them, and turned to climb the hill which rose
sharply on our right, its side dotted with furze-bushes, and its
crest hidden by a clump of trees.

Five minutes later I was back among them again.

"Well," said Daphne eagerly, "you haven't been right to the top,
have you?"

"Oh, no. I only came back to say that when I said 'Age before
honesty' just now, I really meant 'Death before dishonour,' you
know," and I turned up the bank again.

I regret to say that Berry and Jonah thought it decent to
attempt to stone my retreating figure. Ten minutes' walking
brought me to a clearing on the top, which afforded a magnificent
view. Hill and dale, woodland and pasture, stone wall and
hedgerow, as far as I could see. The sinking sun was lighting
gloriously the autumn livery of the woods, and, far in the
distance, I could see the silver streak of the river flowing to
the village on whose skirts stood the house that was our bourne.
When I returned to the camp to find them gone I was rather bored.

The note that they had left made it worse: