“I’m agreeable,” Chirk said shortly.
As they tied the last knot presently, he said: “What’s to be done with Benny, poor little brat?”
“I’ll take care of that.”
“You ain’t going to tell him—what we found there,” Chirk said, with a jerk of his thumb.
“Of course not. I shan’t tell him anything yet. Later, he must know that his father’s dead, but I don’t think he’ll grieve much. There, that’s done! Let us be off!”
The return journey to the mouth of the cavern was accomplished without very much difficulty. The mist had cleared away, but there was no one in sight. They secured the fence again, replaced the gorse bushes, and went away to where they had tethered the horses.
“I’ll brush now,” Chirk said. “I’ll come to the tollhouse tonight, though. You know my signal! If all’s bowman, open the kitchen-door; if there’s any stranger with you, leave it shut!”
“Where can I find you, if I should need you quickly?” John asked, a detaining hand on the mare’s bridle.
Chirk looked down at him with a faint smile. “So now you’ve got to know the case where I rack up, have you, Soldier? And what’s the cove as owns it going to say to that?”
“Nothing, when you tell him I shan’t squeak beef on him,” returned John.