They left their seats in the parquet, and went upstairs, where they took back seats, inferior to those they had occupied below, but out of range of the man from Stapleton.
“I am afraid he will see me when I go out,” said Joshua.
“We can go five minutes before the play is over,” said Sam.
Satisfied with this arrangement, Joshua stayed on, and enjoyed the play, now that his anxiety was removed.
The play went on, but about a quarter to eleven, when it was evident that it was nearly over, Sam said: “We’d better be going, Joshua. We can get out before the grand rush, and your friend from Stapleton will be none the wiser.”
“Yes, come along,” said Joshua, eagerly.
But, as Burns has it, “The best-laid schemes of mice and men oft gang aglee.” The same thought of getting out before the grand rush occurred to Mr. Draper, of Stapleton, and when the two boys emerged from the theatre they met face to face.
“Why, Joshua Drummond!” said Mr. Draper, in surprise. “How came you here? I didn’t know you were here!”
“Then he hasn’t heard,” thought Joshua, recovering, in a measure, from his temporary panic.
“I’ve only been here a day or two,” he answered.