“Me? Not I, sir.”
“But how could that man have heard of it, and come over to sound the mine and examine the place?”
“What man?” cried Hardock, anxiously.
Gwyn explained, and, in answer to questions, the lad gave a pretty good description of his awkward adversary.
Hardock struck his fist upon the table.
“That’s the chap! I often wondered who he was. Been hanging about here these two months past.”
“Then you did tell him.”
“Me, Master Gwyn? Not a bit of it. I’m too close.”
“Then you must have talked about it to other people, and he picked up what you said. But there, come along. He will not get it now.”
“He must have been sent by someone out Plymouth way, that’s for certain, sir. But come along. I want to hear what the Colonel has to say.”