His wry smile twisted Chirk’s lips. “Didn’t I tell you I’d had my orders from that mort o’ mine I was to do what you tell me, Soldier? I won’t deny that if it was Rose’s cousin which had run his head into this noose I’d feel the way you do. I’ll stand buff, and there’s my famble on it!”
He stretched out his hand, and John gripped it warmly. “Thank you! You’re a damned good fellow! I have one day at least to consider what I can do: I fancy Stogumber won’t do much spying today. He’ll be feeling as sick as a horse, and will very likely keep his bed. But he’s been recognized: we have to bear that in mind! That must have been why he was set upon last night. If Coate were to take fright, and run for it—why, that would solve the thing for us! If he don’t—lord, I wish I saw my way!”
“I daresay you will,” Chirk replied. “I’m bound to say I don’t, but that don’t signify.” He looked up at John. “Was Ned Brean in this?”
“I think, undoubtedly,” John said. He glanced round at the encircling gloom, and Chirk saw that the good-humored expression had quite vanished from his face. “There was the gate to be passed, and there must have been an urgent need of a strong man to assist in carrying these chests from the lane to this place. There were no wheel ruts off the lane, nor could a heavily laden vehicle have been dragged across the ditch. The chests must have been carried by hand—and Henry would be useless for such work.”
“What queers me,” said Chirk, “is how they ever got ’em down that ‘regular stairway’ of yours! Why, it was as much as I could do to get down holding on to the wall, and any rock that came handy! If I’d tried to carry anything, I’d have foundered, sure as a gun!”
“I fancy they lowered them with ropes. They must have!” John said, picking up his lantern, and walking round the cases. “Yes, here we are! A couple of coils of stout rope.”
Chirk was frowning. “If Ned was working with Coate, where is he?” he demanded. “I remember what Benny said about being woke up by a wagon one night, and Ned going off like he did. What took him off again last Saturday, and where did he pike to? Did he get scared, d’ye think?”
“No, I don’t think that. I think—he came here.”
Chirk glanced up swiftly, a question in his face, and then his eyes travelled as swiftly to the one open chest. “It was him broke that open? Tipping the rest of ’em the double?”
“Trying to, perhaps. He didn’t succeed. The chest is full.”