"You are very kind," he said, after a pause. "What is your name?"
"Luke Larkin."
"And you know Mr. Armstrong?"
"Yes. I am his messenger."
"But how came he to send a boy so far? It is not like him."
Luke laughed.
"No doubt you think him unwise," he said. "The fact was, he took me for lack of a better. Besides, the mission was a confidential one, and he thought he could trust me, young as I am."
"You say you have a message for me?" queried Harding.
"Yes!"
"What is it?"