‘Who was in the car?’
‘Four gents.’
‘How long since?’
‘About half an hour, or hardly.’
‘And was it Mr. Craig who told you they’d gone to Luton and Hitchin?’
‘How do I know his blooming name as told me?’ exclaimed the man. ‘They gave me a shilling to stop here and tell ye, and I’ve told ye, and so good-night.’
‘Thanks,’ said Richard, and he started the car. In another moment they were at the crossing of the two great Roman high-roads, Watling Street and the Icknield Way. The route to Luton and Hitchin lay to the left; the route to London was straight ahead.
‘Now, was that a fake of Lock’s, or are we all wrong about Lock? and has your father got still another mystery up his sleeve?’
He gazed intently at the macadam, but the hard road showed no traces of wheels anywhere, not even their own.
‘We will go straight ahead,’ said Teresa earnestly.