Part 65 (2/2)

That was undeniable. There they were, with about as pretty a complication of mischief to unravel as two men could wish to have. Tom felt so foolish and nonplussed, that he felt inclined to laugh at Lee when he said, ”Here we are.” It so exactly expressed the state of the case; as if he had said, ”All so and so has happened, and a deuce of a job it is, and here sit you and I, to deliberate what's to be done with regard to so and so.”

He did not laugh, however; he bit his lip, and stopped it. Then he rose, and, leaning his great shoulders against the mantelpiece, stood before the fireless grate, and looked at Lee. Lee also looked at him, and I think that each one thought what a splendid specimen of his style the other was. If they did not think so, ”they ought to it,” as the Londoners say. But neither spoke a few minutes; then Tom said,--

”Lee, Will Lee, though you came to me a free man, and have served me twenty years, or thereabouts, as free man, I don't conceal from myself the fact that you have been convict. Pish, man! don't let us mince matters now,--a lag.”

Lee looked him full in the face, without changing countenance, and nodded.

”Convicted more than once, too,” continued Tom.

”Three times,” said Lee.

”Ah!” said Tom. ”And if a piece of work was set before me to do, which required pluck, honesty, courage, and cunning, and one were to say to me, 'Who will you have to help you?' I would answer out boldly, 'Give me Will Lee the lag; my old friend, who has served me so true and hearty these twenty years.'”

”And you'd do right, sir,” said Lee quietly. And rising up, he stood beside Tom, with one foot on the fender, bending down and looking into the empty grate.

”Now, Will,” said Tom, turning round and laying his hand on his shoulder, ”this fellow has followed us home, having found out who we were. Why has he done so?”

”Evident,” said Lee, ”to work on the fears of the mistress, and get some money from her.”

”Good!” said Tom. ”Well answered. We shall get to the bottom of our difficulty like this. Only answer the next question as well, and I will call you a Poly--, Poly--; d--n the Greek.”

”Not such a bad name as that, I hope, sir,” said Lee smiling. ”Who might she have been? A bad un, I expect. You don't happen to refer to Hobart-town Polly, did you, sir?”

”Hold your tongue, you villain,” said Tom, ”or you'll make me laugh; and these are not laughing times.”

”Well, what is your question, sir?” asked Lee.

”Why, simply this: What are we to do?”

”I'll tell you,” said Lee, speaking in an animated whisper. ”Watch, watch, and watch again, till you catch him. Tie him tight, and hand him over to Captain Desborough. He may be about the place tonight: he will be sure to be. Let us watch to-night, you and I, and for many nights, till we catch him.”

”But,” whispered Tom, ”he will be hung.”

”He has earned it,” said Lee. ”Let him be hung.”

”But he is her husband,” urged Tom, in a whisper. ”He is that boy's father. I cannot do it. Can't we buy him off?”

”Yes,” answered Lee in the same tone, ”till his money is gone. Then you will have a chance of doing it again, and again, all your life.”

”This is a terrible dilemma,” said Tom; and added in a perplexity almost comical, ”Drat the girl! Why did'nt she marry poor old Jim Stockbridge, or sleepy Hamlyn, or even your humble servant? Though, in all honour, I must confess that I never asked her, as those two others did. No! I'll tell you what, Lee: we will watch for him, and catch him if we can. After that we will think what is to be done. By-the-bye, I have been going to ask you:--do you think he recognised you at the public-house there?”

”That puzzles me,” said Lee. ”He looked me in the face, but I could not see that he did. I wonder if he recognised you?”

”I never saw him in my life before,” said Tom. ”It is very likely that he knew me, though. I was champion of Devon and Cornwall, you know, before little Abraham Cann kicked my legs from under me that unlucky Easter Monday. (The deuce curl his hair for doing it!) I never forgave him till I heard of that fine bit of play with Polkinghorn. Yes! he must have known me.”

Lee lit the fire, while Tom, blowing out the candles, drew the curtains, so that any one outside could not see into the room.

Nevertheless, he left the French window open, and then went outside, and secured all the dogs in the dog-house.

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