His voice somehow made John feel that he must speak, and he said, “Aunt heard it.”
“What’s that? Who is aunt?” said Sir Harry, in a tone as if deciding that it was gossip; but this put John rather more on his mettle, and he said, “My aunt, Judith Grey, sir.”
“How did she hear?”
“Through the window. She heard them laying it out.”
“She is bedridden,” put in the captain; “but a clever, sensible woman.”
“Whom did she hear or see?”
“She couldn’t see nobody, sir. It was a strange voice,” John was trying to save the truth.
“Oh! and what did she hear?”
“They was planning to go round the place and call up the men—that’s to-day,” said John.
“Are you sure it was to-day? Did she tell you she heard it?”