The three of us
will have an eye on all the prisoners then, till I can get some fellows
up from the drifter to escort them. Do you mind going down to the boat,
Roger, and sending up a party? You can find your way in the dark?"
"I'll make a shift to."
"Perhaps if Miss Rendall is going home she might put you on the right
road," he suggested.
"Of course I will!" said Jean.
As I left him, Jack pressed my hand and whispered,
"Never say again I'm not tactful, Roger! Congratulations, old chap,
you've brought off a triple event if I'm not mistaken!"
"Triple?"
"That's one," he said pointing to our prisoner, "Uncle Francis is
another, and I'll bet you sixpence I'm right about the third as soon
as you shave that filthy beard. Get off with you now and don't keep a
lady waiting!"
XVIII
THE FROSTY ROAD
Sometimes we walked and sometimes we trotted in step side by side, her
arm through mine, where I had persuaded it to venture, and where it
thrilled me by remaining. Personally I was not in the least anxious to
bring our errand to an early end, but Jean was fired with zeal to
astonish my relations by the speed with which we brought reinforcements,
and so, trot and walk, we hurried down the frosted road through that
black March night, talking, talking, almost every step of the way.
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