"We must engage them all over again," she lamented, after explaining the situation.

"Stand in the door, Deppy, and don't let them out until Mr.
Britt has talked with them," she called to the disgraced nobleman.
"They won't stop for me," he muttered, looking at the half-dozen krises that were visible.
Britt smoothed the troubled waters with astonishing ease; the servants returned to their duties, but not without grumbling and no end of savage glances, all of which were levelled at the luckless Deppingham.
"By Jove, you'll see, sooner or later," he protested, like the schoolboy, almost ready to hope that the servants would bear him out by doling out ample quantities of strychnine that very night.
"Why poison ?" demanded Britt.

"They've got knives and guns, haven't they ?" "My dear man, that would put them to no end of trouble, cleaning up after us," said Deppingham, loftily.
The next day the horses were brought in from the valley, and the traps were put to immediate use.

A half-dozen excursions were planned by the now friendly beneficiaries; life on the island, aside from certain legal restraints, began to take on the colour of a real holiday.
Two lawyers, each clever in his own way, were watching every move with the faithfulness of brooding hens.

Both realised, of course, that the great fight would take place in England; they were simply active as outposts in the battle of wits.