Jack waited for an exclamation; for some seconds there was none; then the squatter laughed softly to himself.
"I thought as much!" said he. "I knew exactly what the lawyer came to say, for I saw it in his face. Now tell me, and we'll see if I'm right."
And it appeared that he was, by the way in which he kept nodding his head as Jack told him all. Meanwhile they had retired under the trees, and by the red end of his cigar the squatter had seen Jack's wideawake; using his cigar as a lantern he had examined the cage of cats; whereon his face would have proved a sufficiently severe commentary had there been any other light for Jack to see it by.
"Now," said Dalrymple, "stand tight. I've got something to tell you, my boy!" And he told it in the fewest whispered words.
Jack was speechless.
"Nonsense! I don't believe it," he cried when he found his tongue.
"But I'm in a position to prove it," replied the squatter. "I'll give you a particular or two as we walk back to the house. What! you hesitate? Come, come; surely my word is good enough for that! Do be sensible; leave your infernal cats where they are, and come you along with me!"