“Off, sir.”
“Off? What do you mean? Isn’t he at The Warren?”
“No, sir; he only sent me down to fetch his things.”
“Ah!” cried the major; “and here with some message.”
“No, sir, that he didn’t, sir. I come over here of my own self.”
“What do you mean by ‘off’?” cried the major. “You don’t go from here till you confess the truth. After what happened how dare you set foot on these grounds! I say, where is your master?”
“Gone abroad, sir.”
“Is that the truth?—Here, I was a bit hasty.—A sovereign, my lad.—Now, then, tell me. Your master sent you down here?”
“Only to The Warren, sir, to fetch his things, because he wasn’t coming down again.”
The major looked at him searchingly.