"We musn't lose sight of that chap."
"Oh, you remember old Joe Brown, who swore to Wyck's identity?"
"I saw him here yesterday," said Reg. "I followed him, and he got into a cab, with whom do you think?"
"Not Philamore?"
"Yes."
"Then that settles it. Well, now we will get the girls to call a meeting at Blue Gums to-morrow. They must invite Mr. and Mrs. Montague, Goody and ourselves; then we can compare notes, for we all must go to the garden-party at Government House to-morrow afternoon."
Goody's tale to Reg was quite true. Fred Philamore had made the acquaintance of the Governor, and had mentioned so many London friends that were known to both, that His Excellency, finding him so interesting, had invited him to Government House. This invitation he was glad to accept, as he was still uneasy about his pursuers. The boys, however, little guessed that all this while they were themselves being watched: yet this was so, as the pseudo Fred Philamore had two retainers on their track, who reported all their movements. Consequently he knew all about Hal's journey to Toowoomba, and guessed its object. He was engaged in forming a plan by means of which he could be revenged on Morris, but as he did not consider the time was ripe to put it into practice, he accepted the chance offered him by the Governor to enjoy himself at the expense of the Colonial Government.
The next morning the party of seven interested in the doings of Villiers Wyckliffe met at Blue Gums to discuss matters.
"Of course," said Hal, "we are only surmising that Philamore is our man. We have no direct proof of his identity yet."