"
While the letters were passing, came a climax. Reckless Reginald could
keep no bounds intact: his inward definition of a boundary was "a thing
you should go a good way out of your way rather than not overleap."
Accordingly, he was often on Highmore farm at night, and even in
Highmore garden; the boundary wall tempted him so.
One light but windy night, when everybody that could put his head under
cover, and keep it there, did, reckless Reginald was out enjoying the
fresh breezes; he mounted the boundary wall of Highmore like a cat, to
see what amusement might offer. Thus perched, he speedily discovered a
bright light in Highmore dining-room.
He dropped from the wall directly, and stole softly over the grass and
peered in at the window.
He saw a table with a powerful lamp on it; on that table, and gleaming
in that light, were several silver vessels of rare size and
workmanship, and Mr. Bassett, with his coat off, and a green baize
apron on, was cleaning one of these with brush and leather. He had
already cleaned the others, for they glittered prodigiously.
Reginald's black eye gloated and glittered at this unexpected display
of wealth in so dazzling a form.
But this was nothing to the revelation in store. When Mr. Bassett had
done with that piece of plate he went to the paneled wall, and opened a
door so nicely adapted to the panels, that a stranger would hardly have
discovered it.
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