‘Good idea,’ said Logan, as the old woman left the room. ‘What had I better do now?’
‘Oh, send your telegrams—the advertisements—to the London papers. They can go by the trap you ordered for me, that I am too ill to go in. Then you will have to interview the detectives, take them into the laird’s chamber, and, if they start my theory about the secret entrance being under the fallen stones, let them work away at removing them. If they don’t start it, put them up to it; anything to keep them employed and prevent them from asking questions in the villages.’
‘But, Merton, I understand your leaving in disguise; still, why go first to Edinburgh?’
‘The trains from your station to town do not fit.
You can look.’ And Merton threw Bradshaw to Logan, who caught it neatly.
When he had satisfied himself, Logan said, ‘The shops will be closed in Edinburgh, it will be after eight when you arrive. How will you manage about getting into decent clothes?’
‘I have my idea; but, as soon as you can get rid of the detectives, come back here; I want you to coach me in broad Scots words and pronunciation. I shall concoct imaginary dialogues. I say, this is great fun.’
‘Dod, man, aw ’m the lad that’ll lairn ye the pronoonciation,’ said Logan, and he was going.
‘Wait,’ said Merton, ‘sign me a paper giving me leave to treat about the ransom. And promise that, if I don’t reappear by the eleventh, you won’t negotiate at all.’
‘Not likely I will,’ said Logan.