I had to wait for my opportunity, and it came that afternoon, when most of the boys were together cricketing and playing rounders. I glanced round the field, and then slipped away unobserved, made my way round by the back, and crossed the open space toward the yard.
It was absolutely necessary for me to meet no one, so as to avoid suspicion when Mercer found out what had been done, and I intended, as soon as I had executed my little plan, to slip back by the same way into the play-field, so as to be able to prove where I was on that afternoon.
But, as a matter of course, just because I did not wish to meet any one, I must meet the cook just returning from the kitchen garden with a bundle of thyme in her hand.
Everybody spoke of Cook as being disagreeable and ready to snap and snarl if she were asked for anything extra because a boy was sick; but they say, “Speak well of the bridge that carries you well over,” and I always found her the most kindly of women; and she nodded and smiled.
“What boys you and Master Mercer are!” she said. “Why, you are always going and moping up in that loft instead of being in the fields at play.”
She went on toward the house, and I stood hesitating about carrying out my plan.
“She knows I’ve come,” I said, “and if there is a row, and questions asked, she may say that she saw me.”
“Nonsense! she’ll never hear about it,” I said, and, running into the dark stable, I stopped short, for I fancied there was a sound overhead; but I heard no more, and, thinking it was fancy, I ran to the steps, climbed up, and was crossing the floor when I heard a faint rustling in a heap of straw at the far end, in the darkest corner of the loft.
“Rats,” I said to myself, as I went on to the place where the big bin stood under a little window, passed it, and reached up to take the key from the beam upon which it was always laid, the simplicity of the hiding-place making it all the more secure.
To my utter astonishment, the key was not there, but a second glance showed me that it was in the padlock.