"Can't I?" Peter retorted. "Well, you watch me, and see. I've no compunction about spying on Duval whatsoever. The trouble with you is that you've got a legal mind. I don't somehow see Duval & Co. displaying a like punctiliousness where we're concerned."
He carefully lifted the sagging gate out of position, and stole up the tangled path to the house. Charles saw him apparently listening at the window; then he crept round to the back, and was gone for some time.
He rejoined Charles presently. "Can't hear a sound," he said. "But there's certainly a light. Just youu come up, will you?"
Charles sacrificed his principles, and followed Peter up to the front door. He stood listening intently. It was just as Peter had said: not the smallest sound came from the room on the other side of the door.
"I believe you're right," Charles whispered. "He's either out, or asleep. If he's asleep I propose to wake him."
Before Peter could stop him he had raised his hand and knocked smartly on the door.
"You ass!" Peter hissed. "If he's there we don't want to disturb him!"
"If he's there his talk was all moonshine, and it doesn't matter whether we disturb him or not," Charles replied. He knocked again.
The answering silence was a little uncanny. They waited, then Charles knocked louder than ever.
"By Jove, I believe he is out!" Peter said. "Take care he doesn't come back suddenly and see you." He moved boldly towards the window, and set his eye to the dirty glass where the curtains inside just failed to meet. Suddenly he spoke in a sharp, uneasy voice. "Charles, just come here a moment. There's something… Here, take a look. What's that thing you can just see?"