The carriage had no sooner passed out of the lodge gates, than the squire requested Harry Goodall, Warner and the local policeman to appear in his private room, to hear his views as to the suspects. One of the results of this conference was that the squire ordered a dog-cart to convey the detective to a brother magistrate, and to the police authorities at Lewes, as he wished to take fresh steps to have Warner provided with warrants for the apprehension of Falcon and Croft, and then the detective could proceed instanter to Newhaven, to arrest, if possible, either or both of the fugitives. In the meantime, the squire would not be idle in his co-operation, as he considered that it was almost certain that the delinquents would try to leave the country by the Newhaven route.
Harry Goodall, whilst the squire was writing his letters, proposed that they should go down the park and ask Bennet if they had heard of anything fresh, and decide, before Trigger left for the Crystal Palace, to fetch the bags and traps, whether they had better not let the gas out of the balloon? But when Squire Dove reappeared on the scene, he emphatically said,—
“If I were in your place, Mr Goodall, I would do nothing of the sort, for I cannot forget that it was through you and your balloon that I have been rescued from the brink of a precipice, and as long as you like to keep it where it is, you have my sanction to do so and to take in as much gas as you require. Any way, don’t strike your colours to-day, or the doctor will fancy that we are fearing an attack by Falcon and Croft, or anyone they might appoint to do us an injury.”
Complying with the squire’s wishes, Trigger was sent off to Lewes with orders to bring down all the aeronautic tackle from Sydenham, as it looked as if they were about to have a change of weather, and, if so, the balloon would not be safe with the rough pieces of iron slung on the net-work. And Trigger took a letter to the palace secretary, expressive of his master’s regret for the unpleasant affair connected with his last ascent, when Captain Link was mistaken for Mr Falcon by the detective Hawksworth. Harry Goodall begged also for an extension of leave for Warner “on very important business.”
Lucy went down just in time to see her sweetheart off, but, as Bennet said, “She did look sadly!” and no wonder, for she had a matter of considerable importance on her mind, for Saunders, the cook, having recovered consciousness, had just imparted to her that she distinctly saw two men disguised making their way out of the library not long after Miss Dove made the balloon ascent by moonlight, when Wedwell Hall was left with scarcely anyone to look after it.
Some time after hearing this startling intelligence, Mr Goodall and the gamekeeper hurried up to the Hall, and there met the squire’s carriage returning with the ladies from Lewes. The aeronaut told the coachman to delay taking the horses out, as a second journey might be required.
Harry Goodall having communicated what Saunders had stated, everyone crowded into the library, when a rapid examination of the bureau proved that it had been burst open and a large number of negotiable securities had been carried off.
“I feel certain, sir,” said the cook, “that the thieves were that gentleman who has been here so often lately and his little servant!”
“Are you sure, cook?” asked Miss Dove.
“Yes, miss, I feel quite certain, though I fancied at first that they were gas men, as their faces were black like, but I am sure about them now by their figures.”