“And when did you start?”
“That same night, after they’d gone to bed at home. I’d got the things all ready, and I soon dressed and locked up the clothes I took off in a drawer they weren’t likely to look into, so that they might keep on expecting to see me back, thinking I’d gone out next morning early, and that would give me a start of all that night and all next day.”
“What a thing to do!” said Perry.
“Yes; wasn’t it? Didn’t seem so bad in the hurry and worry of getting off I didn’t think about anything but hurrying on after you, and then I got very tired and hot, and that kept me too from thinking about anything but catching up to you.”
“But how did you know the way?” said Perry.
“Oh, that was easy enough. Diego told me which road he should take, and I’d been along there before as far as the place where he said he would wait for me.”
“Yes, he said when you would come.”
“And when at last I was getting nearer to you, I began to lose heart altogether, and I’d eaten all the food I brought with me; and I’d had so little sleep, because I was obliged to overtake you before you started. If I had not—”
He stopped short, and Perry stared at him.