Jack did so, and Sergius continued, ‘I have been months trying to find you. I have been to four other places. I have horses and a disguise. You must slip away; arrange to meet me, and when it is dark we will fly.’
Jack was wild with delight for a few minutes, and entered fully into the scheme, then he thought of his companions, and of Linham especially. He would not go and leave his old comrade behind. He told Sergius so.
‘It is impossible, excellency. I can take only one.’
‘Then I will not go,’ said Jack.
‘Excellency,’ urged Sergius, ‘we cannot talk longer now; come back to-morrow and arrange. We start in two days; then you must come.’
Jack immediately took Linham into his confidence, and told him what he had learnt.
‘But I will not go without you,’ said Jack; ‘we have gone through too much together for me to desert you now.’
‘Ha, hum! Jack, you’re a fine fellow; you’re a—a—— Jim Linham, you’re a fool,’ he concluded.
Then in more husky tones he said, ‘Jack, you’ll go. I’m an old war-horse that it doesn’t matter a snap about. I don’t say much, but the wound in my leg troubles me a great deal. I fear I shall never do much more soldiering. Go and leave me.’
‘Never.’