"Even so," said Austin.
And in a few words he told all he knew. The letter which the headmaster had received telling of Lewis's evil doings; the lecture he had that day given to Lewis, along with the threat of making all known to his father next day; the emptied drawers; the abstracted "photos;" Priscilla's account of his hurried embrace of herself and little Ruth—all was told.
Mr. M'Ivor was a man of deeds, not mere words. He moved towards the door, took his hat, and, followed by Austin, set off at once to the railway station. But there they found difficulty in tracing the fugitives.
The station-master, who knew the young Warners well, said he had not seen any of them for some days.
"What," asked Mr. M'Ivor, "is the hour of any London train after six in the evening?"
"Well," was the reply, "there's one leaves this about eight, and another at two A.M."
"Were there many passengers from Hereford by the eight o'clock one?" queried Austin.
"Well, yes, sir, there were a good many."
"Any young lads?"
"Three or four, I think."