"Hudson's locked up in the cellar," replied Nancy. "We carried the other poor man into the hall and put him on the sofa. I bandaged up his head as well as I could, but he's still unconscious."
"I'll go in and have a look at him," said Colin. "Then I should think we might as well push off. I've all sorts of exciting news for you, Nancy."
"If you mean about Mr. Carter being my grandfather," she interrupted calmly, "I know that already."
Colin stared at her in amazement. "You know it already?" he repeated.
She nodded her head. "Yes," she said, "Joe told me. Of course, there's a lot I don't understand yet, but——"
"I didn't mean to do it, guv'nor," protested Joe; "strike me dead if I did. She jest started askin' questions, and afore I knew wot 'ad 'appened, damn me if I 'adn't given away the 'ole show."
Colin looked from one to the other of them, and then began to laugh.
"I thought I could depend on you, Joe," he said reproachfully.
The boxer glanced at Nancy with a kind of admiring resentment. "I always reckoned I could keep my mouth shut," he muttered, "but she's one o' them young laidies a bloke ain't got no chance with."
"I don't know if that's a compliment or not," said Nancy. "Anyhow, Colin, do come along and see what you think of my patient. We shall have plenty of time to talk about me when we're going home in the car."