He went away to his bedroom, and came back in a minute with one of the pillows from his bed. With this, and a soaking towel bound tenderly about his brow, Mr. Stogumber was made moderately comfortable. He opened his eyes, achieving a lopsided smile. “Damme, if I remember when I was so crop-sick!” he muttered. “Fair shook up I must have been! Me!”
“Now, don’t you go falling into a fit of the dismals, covey!” said Chirk, in a heartening tone. “There’s no call for you to be hipped. They tapped your claret, and you lost a lot of it, see? It’s my blame. The thing was, while you was playing at singlestick with one of them Captain Hackums it didn’t seem as I’d any call to interfere; and when t’other jumped out from behind the hedge I was took by surprise, same as you was.”
“I’m in your debt,” Stogumber said, closing his eyes again. “I’ve been near to cocking up my toes afore this, but I doubt it’s the closest-run thing I ever stepped into. I take it very kind in you. What’s more, I shan’t forget it,”
The Captain, who was standing by the door leading into the office, made an imperative sign with his head, and, upon Chirk’s going to him, led him out of the room, and softly shut the door.
“He’ll go to sleep, if we let him alone,” he said. “Now then, Jerry! What news?”
Chirk shook his head. “I’ve got nothing to tell you, Soldier. They ain’t seen nor heard anything of Ned in the kens where he might be looked for.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “What do ye make of this set-out? Queer fetch, ain’t it? What’s he been up to?”
“Making enemies, apparently,” John replied. “Never mind him for the moment! I want you to go up to the Manor. Try if you can see Rose, and find out from her if there are any caverns in the hills immediately north of Kellands! If she knows of any, get her to tell you where they are; but particularly warn her to say nothing of this to Miss Nell! Or, indeed, to anyone! But she won’t! You may tell her also, if you please, that I fancy I may have chanced upon what concerns Henry Stornaway and Coate nearly, but that I do not wish to add to Miss Nell’s anxieties, and so would prefer she should know nothing about it.”
Chirk’s bright, keen eyes were fixed on his face. “And have you, Soldier?” he asked.
“I don’t know, but I believe it to be possible. Do you know the lane that leads up to the moors, half a mile to the east of the gate?” Chirk nodded. “Very well! I rode up it, soon after dawn today—exercising my horse. I met Henry Stornaway on it. If he could have hidden from me, he would have done so, but there’s no cover: I saw him as plainly as I see you! Whether he knew that I had recognized him, I can’t say. He was making his way back to Kellands on foot: I was cantering up the lane, Beau has a long stride, and there was too much mist for either of us to see the other until we were almost abreast. For one instant I saw his face, and I can tell you this, Jerry Chirk!—he had the look of a man who had seen a ghost! Also—and mark this!—he carried a lantern! It was not alight, and for a time I supposed he must have used it only to show him the road, hours earlier. To be sure, the sky was overcast last night, but there was light enough for one to see one’s way! It had me in a puzzle to know what he should have wanted with a lantern until I remembered suddenly something Miss Nell said to me once, about the the caverns that are to be found amongst these limestone hills. If you meant to penetrate into one of those, you would need a lantern, of course.”
“I daresay you would,” agreed Chirk. “But—lor’ bless you, Soldier, what kind of a rig do you think a couple of flash coves like Stornaway and that Coate have got on hand?”