Tom told his story quickly. It fitted in with what he had heard through the ventilating hole, and he explained to the lawyer how it had come about that the two cadets had followed the conspirators.
“I didn’t think, when I moved my office upstairs, that I would get a case like this,” said the lawyer. “But I’ll do my best for you, Tom. Mind, I don’t promise anything, but it looks very much as though your mother would get her rights.”
“That’s all I want,” Tom said. “It will be a big load off my shoulders to know that my mother is provided for. And now what is the next thing to do?”
“You may leave everything to me,” said the lawyer. “I will at once start the ball rolling.”
“I—I’m not prepared to pay anything—now,” Tom faltered.
“I wouldn’t ask you to,” was the laughing answer. “I turned down one retaining fee this afternoon, so you may know I’m not suffering financially. No, leave everything to me, and I’ll communicate with you at West Point.”
“And that’s the place we’d better be heading for on the double quick, Tom,” put in Sam. “If we don’t hustle we’ll overstay our leave and that may give Captain Hawkesbury a chance to skin us.”
“I fancy he won’t do much more skinning,” said Mr. Royse, significantly. “If I can bring this matter home to him it will be a bad mark against him.”
“It’s too bad,” Tom said, “but—”
“It’s best to have it all come out,” the lawyer assured him.