"Oh, yes, you have—a clew to follow the villain himself. You mean Standish, don't you?" shouted Robert, wildly, in his excitement.
"Yes, he has lured her away by a cunning trick—" began Hawthorne again, but the youth interrupted:
"Yes, yes, I know; he has taken her to the Cortlandt street ferry—going to elope with her, I reckon. But we'll follow and outwit the villain," and chirping to his horse, Robert drove to the ferry as fast as he dared.
On the way he told Hawthorne all that he knew, and received his confidence in turn.
So the actor's plot was laid bare. No doubt existed as to his intentions to abduct Geraldine.
On their way, just half a block from the ferry, Robert exclaimed:
"There's our sleigh going back now to the stables. Hello, Pete!"
The driver drew rein, and he asked, anxiously:
"Where's the lady and gentleman you took down to the ferry?"