Honorable John Ruffin said, "Well, you see, Pollyooly, the first thing to do is to postpone the pain of being writted. Till I am writted the law is powerless—paralyzed. Therefore I proclaim a state of siege. Do you know what a state of siege is, Pollyooly?"
"No, sir," said Pollyooly.
"It means that no stranger must be let into my rooms between daybreak and after dark, when the king's writ ceases to run. Fortunately the king's writ is not a night-bird. We shall have to shut ourselves in."
"Do you mean all day, sir?" said Pollyooly knitting her brow.
"I fear so," said the Honorable John Ruffin. "From daybreak till after dark."
"But how am I to get Mr. Gedge-Tomkins' breakfast?" said Pollyooly anxiously.
"That's a difficulty," said the Honorable John Ruffin, frowning. Then he said cheerfully: "However, it's no good meeting trouble half-way; when the time comes we shall find a plan. You and the Lump can always steal out early in the morning, take up your abode in the chambers of Mr. Gedge-
