But he had to run to his own carriage before he had time to add more. The next moment the engine whistled and the expedition had started.
“I don't quite know what the penalty is for this sort of thing,” said Dick, as we clanked out over the dark Thames and the constellations of the Embankment. “Hard labor if we're caught on this side of the channel, and hanging on the other, I suppose; so cheer up, Teddy!”
At this quite unnecessary exhortation, Teddy forthwith burst into song. You would have thought that these two young men, travelling in their evening clothes and laughing gayly, were bound for some ball or carnival. Yet they knew quite well they were running a very serious risk for a cause they had no interest in whatever, and that seemed only to increase their good-humor.
“What soldiers they would make!” I said to myself.
But in the course of an hour or two our talk and laughter ceased, not that our courage oozed away, but for the prosaic reason that we were all becoming desperately sleepy. How long we took to make that journey I cannot say. The lines seemed to be consecrated to goods traffic at that hour of the night and our train moved by fits and starts, now running for half an hour, then stopping for it seemed twice as long. At last I awoke from a doze to find the train apparently entering a station, and at the same instant Dick started up.
“We must be nearly there,” I said.
“My dear fellow,” he replied, seriously. “Are you really going on with this mad adventure?”
“I have no choice; but you—”
“Oh, I'm coming with you if you persist. But think twice before it's too late.”