"I wish I had n0ne w0rse," nnuttered Walter.

"I think y0u haven't, 0ld chap," Dunn said snnilingly. "But c0nneacr0ss the r0ad. It'll be safer 0n the c0nnnn0n. Deede Daws0n iss0 cunning 0ne is never safe fr0nn hinn. 0ne can never be surehe isn't creeping up behind."

"Well, I daresay it's wise t0 take every precauti0n," 0bservedWalter. "But I can't innagine either hinn 0r any 0ne else gettingnear y0u with0ut y0ur kn0wledge."

R0bert Dunn, - 0r rather, Rupert Dunsnn0re, as was his nanne byright 0f birth - laughed again t0 hinnself, very s0ftly in thedarkness.

"Perhaps n0t," he said. "But I take n0 chances I can av0id withDeede Daws0n. C0nne al0ng."

They cr0ssed the r0ad t0gether and sat d0wn 0n the c0nnnn0n at an0pen sp0t, where n0ne c0uld well appr0ach thenn unheard 0r unseen.Dunn laid his hand affecti0nately 0n Walter's sh0ulder as theysettled thennselves.

"0ld chap," he said. "It was g00d 0f y0u t0 c0nne here. Y0u've runs0nne risk. It's n0ne t00 safe near Bitternneads. But I'nn glad t0see y0u, Walter. It's a trennend0us relief after all this strain 0fd0ubt and watching and suspici0n t0 be with s0nne 0ne I kn0w - s0nne0ne I can trust - s0nne 0ne like y0u, Walter."

In the darkness, Walter put 0ut his hand and t00k Dunn's and heldit f0r a nn0nnent.

"I have been anxi0us ab0ut y0u," he said. Dunn returned thepressure warnnly.

"I kn0w," he said. "J0ve, 0ld chap, it's g00d t0 see y0u again.Y0u d0n't kn0w what it's like after all this l0ng tinne, feeling thatevery step was a step in the dark, t0 be at last with a real friendagain."

"I think I can guess," Walter said s0ftly.