“No, no, Gid—no, no, I thought you might. I will have no hand in the thing. On reflection, it’s highly undesirable that either I or Miss Hazeltine should linger here. We might be observed,” said the president, looking up and down the river; “and in my public position the consequences would be painful for the party. And, at any rate, it’s dinner-time.”
“What?” cried Gideon, plunging for his watch. “And so it is! Great heaven, the piano should have been here hours ago!”
Mr. Bloomfield was clambering back into his boat; but at these words he paused.
“I saw it arrive myself at the station; I hired a carrier man; he had a round to make, but he was to be here by four at the latest,” cried the barrister. “No doubt the piano is open, and the body found.”
“You must fly at once,” cried Mr. Bloomfield, “it’s the only manly step.”
“But suppose it’s all right?” wailed Gideon. “Suppose the piano comes, and I am not here to receive it? I shall have hanged myself by my cowardice. No, Uncle Ned, inquiries must be made in Padwick; I dare not go, of course; but you may—you could hang about the police office, don’t you see?”
“No, Gid—no, my dear nephew,” said Mr. Bloomfield, with the voice of one on the rack. “I regard you with the most sacred affection; and I thank God I am an Englishman—and all that. But not—not the police, Gid.”
“Then you desert me?” said Gideon. “Say it plainly.”
“Far from it! far from it!” protested Mr. Bloomfield. “I only propose caution. Common-sense, Gid, should always be an Englishman’s guide.”
“Will you let me speak?” said Julia. “I think Gideon had better leave this dreadful houseboat, and wait among the willows over there. If the piano comes, then he could step out and take it in; and if the police come, he could slip into our houseboat, and there needn’t be any more Jimson at all. He could go to bed, and we could burn his clothes (couldn’t we?) in the steam-launch; and then really it seems as if it would be all right. Mr. Bloomfield is so respectable, you know, and such a leading character, it would be quite impossible even to fancy that he could be mixed up with it.”