“I’ll give two knocks at your door when it’s all fixed. You understand what I meant about the ducks—everything is arranged for Friday morning. Isn’t it frightful that we can only speak to one another by strategy like this? No matter, it won’t be long now——”
“There’s a meet of the hounds to-morrow morning,” said Violet. “We may be able to talk then without being observed.”
“Yes; O’Farrell’s hounds are going to meet on the lawn here at ten.”
“Hi you, sir—why don’t you bring me my hot water?” came General Grampound’s voice from below.
“That’s the hawk,” whispered Dicky.
Violet shivered.
“Suppose——” she said.
“Yes?”
“Suppose you hadn’t shot that—other hawk!” she murmured.
“It would have been all up with the ducks,” he said, “or one of them.”