The whole party were up in the double darkness of a London winter morning before sunrise. They dressed and breakfasted by gaslight, and then entered a large carriage and drove to Euston Square Railway Station, where they were met by Mike, Dandy and Longman.
“Had you not better telegraph to your housekeeper before we start to let her know that we shall certainly be at Haymore to-night so that there may be no mistake, and she will be sure to have beds aired, fires built and dinner ready for us when we get there?” suggested Mr. Walling, who was always directly on the lookout for his own personal comforts, and, incidentally, for those of others.
Ran immediately acted on the suggestion, saying, when he rejoined his friends after sending the dispatch:
“She will think the message comes from the other fellow in Paris and that he is in London on his way to Haymore.”
“She will think, or rather she will see, that the telegram comes from Mr. Randolph Hay, and that will be enough,” replied Mr. Walling.
“When the other fellow comes on the fifteenth with his friends and finds us in possession——Well! I can’t help anticipating a rink, a circus, a hippodrome, a spectacular drama, an earthquake, a conflagration and the day of judgment all rolled into one!” said Randolph, with a laugh.
“And there will be nothing of the sort. Only at most a panic and a total rout. Come, we must take our seats,” exclaimed Will Walling, as he led the way to the waiting train, where a guide showed them into the middle compartment of a first-class carriage.
Mike, Dandy and Longman had taken tickets for the second class.
“Now is it not too bad that Ran cannot get our friends in here with us, Mr. Walling?” demanded Judy, as she settled herself in the luxurious corner front seat of their compartment and noticed that there were just six seats.
“My dear Judy,” muttered Ran, “your brother and his companions are able to take these three vacant seats with us if they please, but for prudential and very praiseworthy reasons they choose to economize and take the second class. I could not offer them a worse offense than invite them to take these seats at my expense.”