And after her the two boys went like spies, and neither Elgert nor Dobson thought what a wicked thing they were doing. There was with them the love of doing evil and causing sorrow—the delight of little, spiteful natures—but there was also the greater desire to cause Ralph Rexworth pain. That was before everything, and so on they went. And Mrs. Charlton, all unconscious of evil, entered the grounds of Mr. St. Clive's house, and as Dobson had said, she went in at the side gate.
Mr. St. Clive had arranged that with her, so that she could go directly to her husband's cottage without any of the servants in the house knowing that she was there.
And the boys stood at that gate undecided for a little while. The path was soon lost to view amidst the bushes. Elgert looked round, and then deliberately climbed over the gate.
"You can stay or come," he whispered to Dobson; "I mean to go on and see this through." And Dobson, not without some inward fears, followed his example. It was delightful, this tracking a man down; it was like the stories of adventure, and he wanted to see the end of it.
"Come quietly," directed Elgert in suppressed tones. "Don't make a noise with your feet, and stoop down; they might see your head over the bushes. That is it. Now follow me."
Creeping along stealthily, Dobson in the rear, he followed the direction which Mrs. Charlton had taken, and presently the shrubberies ended, and there were flower beds and lawns. Clearly, it would be dangerous for them to go any farther if they wished to remain unseen.
"We will stop here and watch," said he to Dobson. And the latter, crouching there, whispered—
"Where has she gone? I don't see her anywhere."
"She must have gone into that cottage. I would creep across and try to peep through the window, but I am afraid that I should be discovered; and if we gave them the alarm, he might be off."
"You don't think that the man is hiding there, do you?" queried Dobson, trembling betwixt fear and excitement.