"So do I—the swine! But here comes the ringer. What cheer, matey?"
"It's right," said Simons. "The little devil's locked her door; but there are her boots outside, same as if she was stoppin' at a blessed 'otel. A fat lot she cared whether her precious pal was bushed or whether he wasn't! We thought you was telling us lies, mother, but, by cripes, you wasn't!"
"I should think not!" said a fourth voice. "She wouldn't believe he was lost, but I knew he was; so I just saddled the night-horse after she was in bed and asleep, and was going straight to the shed to raise a search-party!"
The pair within were staring at each other in dumb horror. That fourth voice was but too well known to them both. It was Mrs. Potter's.
CHAPTER XV THE NIGHT ATTACK
"See here, mother!" said Bill. "There's one or two things we want to know. Spit out the truth, and that'll be all right. Tell us one lie, and there'll be an end of you. Understand?"
"I ought to."
"Right you are, then; now you know. What about this key?"
"She keeps it in her room."