"If you ask me," said Theodore, with great gravity for him, "I should say that he was within a few yards of us all the time!"
"A few yards?"
"I should say," repeated Theodore, "that he was somewhere about the homestead, not the run. And you know perfectly well that you agree!"
"I?"
She jumped up in a fury.
"How dare you say that to me? How dare you, Theodore?"
"My dear Moya, I'm at a loss to understand you!" and his eyebrows underlined the words into largest capitals. "How on earth have I offended? I'm quite sure that you have the same suspicion—not to call it fear—that I entertain myself. If not, why be in such a state? Why not go to bed and to sleep like a rational person? I confess I don't feel like doing so myself—with the chance of waking up to find an escaped criminal on your chest. I prefer to sit up and keep watch. I'm convinced he's somewhere about; all these huts afford far better cover than the open paddocks, bless you! He could easily have slipped among them without either of you seeing him, and the chances are he has."
"If you think that," said Moya, "why didn't you suggest it?"
"I did—to Rigden. Wouldn't listen to me; so, of course, I can't expect you to be so disloyal as to do so either."
But Moya had no more of that kind of fight in her. "So you intend to sit up and watch?" was her sole rejoinder.