CHAPTER XVI

ON THE TRACK

Some hours later, when Doctor Peters had returned from attending his case, the squire resumed the inquiry and at once called on Maria to make her proffered statement.

“If you please, sir,” said the girl, “not long after the balloon ascended by moonlight, and the gentleman was shot at, a little man came to Doctor Peters’s house to ask for the medicine that was made up for him. I was not aware that anything had been prepared for him, and while I was asking a question I noticed that he held a handkerchief in his hand which smelt of something strong. I just recollect his going upstairs, and then I must have become insensible. When I came to he had disappeared and the front door was closed. I did not say anything to the doctor about it, as I thought he might say I was hysterical and that my head was full of fancies, but when I heard the evidence at the last meeting, I thought it my duty to state what had happened.”

“Another far-fetched delusion, squire,” cried Doctor Peters. “Young girls are given to go on that way.”

“And so are old gentlemen,” replied the magistrate. “Anyway, I cannot blame your servant for declaring herself as she has done; and at no distant date, perhaps, we shall be able to judge whether this item of evidence should be regarded as a dream or something worth listening to.”

“Nothing in it, squire, take my word for that,” replied the doctor.

“I hope it will turn out so,” retorted Maria, smiling with an air of confidence, however, for she had elicited the fixed attention and sympathy of those who were present.

It was noticed that although the doctor pooh-poohed his servant’s statement, it seemed that he did so very half-heartedly, and several times showed signs of being ill at ease.

At this juncture Warner stepped up to Mr Goodall and gave him a letter, stating that it had been left with him for the aeronaut just as he rose from the Crystal Palace in his balloon, and that he had not had an opportunity before this of delivering it.

Having perused the letter, the aeronaut stated that he would read it aloud, as it had considerable bearing on the case into which they were inquiring, although it was from his uncle.

“Is your uncle an aeronaut?” asked his worship.

“Oh, dear no, Squire Dove.”

This is how the letter ran,--

“My dear nephew--”

“Stop a minute,” interrupted the doctor. “What is the name of the writer?”

“William Goodall, who is my uncle,” replied the aeronaut, “and the letter is addressed to me, Harry Goodall.”

“Then, my good sir,” observed Doctor Peters, brusquely, as he looked at the aeronaut, “how is it, if you are related to the brothers Goodall, of whom I happen to know something, that you did not make yourself known to the squire and to Miss Dove when you dropped among us in Wedwell Park?”

“It was because I am a Goodall that I withheld my own and my companions’ names, as my uncle, like you, doctor, hates ballooning, and has but a poor opinion of flying. He warned me never to visit Squire Dove until I had renounced my hobby.”

“Ah! it would have been well for you, young man, if you had obeyed your uncle,” cried the doctor.

“I beg to differ from you there,” said Harry Goodall; “for the concealment of my name has been a Godsend to me.”

A remark which made Miss Dove lower her eyes, while a becoming blush clearly showed that she reciprocated the sentiment of his remark.

“Now proceed, Mr Goodall, if you please,” said the magistrate.

“Certainly, sir.”

“MY DEAR NEPHEW,--Should you see Captain Link at the Crystal Palace, will you ask him to proceed to Gravesend with all haste, and there await the arrival of my ship the _Retriever_, as her captain died suddenly yesterday, and, as Link is a single man and will not be returning just yet in the _Neptune_ to Sydney, he might be glad of a little change. Link will find his traps on board, but he must get to Gravesend with all speed, and proceed direct to Cherbourg, as the _Retriever’s_ cargo is due there already.

“Have you seen anything of Mr Falcon, Harry? Should he cross your path, at once apprise the police, requesting them to keep close on his track, and let them acquaint me of it, as I have obtained positive evidence since Captain Link left me to visit you at the Crystal Palace, that this precious financier is an arrant impostor. Instruct Link to start as soon as you can.--Your affectionate uncle,

“WILLIAM GOODALL.”

“First of all I should like to say,” said the squire, “how very pleased I am to make your acquaintance, and offer my warmest welcome to Wedwell Park. And now, Mr Goodall, will you favour us with the name of your charming fellow-voyager?”

“Oh, I can do that, father,” said Edith Dove, “as Miss Chain, for that is the lady’s name, has told me all about herself. I had better repeat part of what Miss Chain said. ‘A portion of my history,’ she stated, ‘appears to have some bearing on the recent episodes which have occurred. My mother and I, when residing at Boulogne, were robbed of our little fortune by a financier, then styling himself Filcher, and now known as Filcher Falcon.’ This Miss Chain has disclosed. I can quite understand his not daring to face us all here.”

Miss Chain’s remarks seemed to have a disturbing effect on Doctor Peters, for he got up and left the room; and as no one had further remarks to make the squire dismissed Warner and the servants, omitting any allusion to what Maria said about air-flying robbers.

No sooner were the squire’s investigations over than the mariner, who was anxious to leave for Cherbourg, was complimented, questioned and surrounded by the Doves and Miss Chain, with a view of affording him any assistance he might require, while everyone expressed regret at his sudden departure. The host ordered his carriage to take the captain over to Lewes to catch the first train that would take him to Gravesend.

Captain Link promised that he would see them again after his trip to Cherbourg, and Miss Dove kindly promised that they would take care of Miss Chain; while the squire told the captain that there would always be a knife and fork for him whenever he could manage to return to the park.

Presently the carriage drove up to the door, and, with many handshakings, the captain departed, accompanied as far as the station by the ladies, while Harry Goodall remained behind with the squire, at his special request.

The carriage had no sooner passed out of the lodge gates, than the squire requested Harry Goodall, Warner and the local policeman to appear in his private room, to hear his views as to the suspects. One of the results of this conference was that the squire ordered a dog-cart to convey the detective to a brother magistrate, and to the police authorities at Lewes, as he wished to take fresh steps to have Warner provided with warrants for the apprehension of Falcon and Croft, and then the detective could proceed instanter to Newhaven, to arrest, if possible, either or both of the fugitives. In the meantime, the squire would not be idle in his co-operation, as he considered that it was almost certain that the delinquents would try to leave the country by the Newhaven route.

Harry Goodall, whilst the squire was writing his letters, proposed that they should go down the park and ask Bennet if they had heard of anything fresh, and decide, before Trigger left for the Crystal Palace, to fetch the bags and traps, whether they had better not let the gas out of the balloon? But when Squire Dove reappeared on the scene, he emphatically said,--

“If I were in your place, Mr Goodall, I would do nothing of the sort, for I cannot forget that it was through you and your balloon that I have been rescued from the brink of a precipice, and as long as you like to keep it where it is, you have my sanction to do so and to take in as much gas as you require. Any way, don’t strike your colours to-day, or the doctor will fancy that we are fearing an attack by Falcon and Croft, or anyone they might appoint to do us an injury.”

Complying with the squire’s wishes, Trigger was sent off to Lewes with orders to bring down all the aeronautic tackle from Sydenham, as it looked as if they were about to have a change of weather, and, if so, the balloon would not be safe with the rough pieces of iron slung on the net-work. And Trigger took a letter to the palace secretary, expressive of his master’s regret for the unpleasant affair connected with his last ascent, when Captain Link was mistaken for Mr Falcon by the detective Hawksworth. Harry Goodall begged also for an extension of leave for Warner “on very important business.”

Lucy went down just in time to see her sweetheart off, but, as Bennet said, “She did look sadly!” and no wonder, for she had a matter of considerable importance on her mind, for Saunders, the cook, having recovered consciousness, had just imparted to her that she distinctly saw two men disguised making their way out of the library not long after Miss Dove made the balloon ascent by moonlight, when Wedwell Hall was left with scarcely anyone to look after it.

Some time after hearing this startling intelligence, Mr Goodall and the gamekeeper hurried up to the Hall, and there met the squire’s carriage returning with the ladies from Lewes. The aeronaut told the coachman to delay taking the horses out, as a second journey might be required.

Harry Goodall having communicated what Saunders had stated, everyone crowded into the library, when a rapid examination of the bureau proved that it had been burst open and a large number of negotiable securities had been carried off.

“I feel certain, sir,” said the cook, “that the thieves were that gentleman who has been here so often lately and his little servant!”

“Are you sure, cook?” asked Miss Dove.

“Yes, miss, I feel quite certain, though I fancied at first that they were gas men, as their faces were black like, but I am sure about them now by their figures.”

“I fear it is too true!” exclaimed the squire, who dropped into a chair and seemed quite overcome.

“My dearest father!” cried Edith Dove, “don’t look so broken-hearted. Have courage! We may yet recover the property. Don’t you think so, Mr Goodall?” as she looked over at the aeronaut with a smile which would have nerved anyone to hope and action.

“Do pray cheer up, sir,” said Harry, “and let us consult as to what is best to be done.”

Edith then sat down at her father’s feet, and after some discussion, Goodall suggested that they should wire forthwith to Lewes and Newhaven?

“Yes, a bright thought! Come with me, brother Goodall, to the post-office. I feel a better man already from what you have offered to do. Order the carriage,” he said, turning to Bennet; “we can go on to Lewes after telegraphing.”

“Your carriage is already at the door, squire,” said the gamekeeper.

“Good, for there is not a moment to be lost. Be sure, Bennet, you do not say a word about this to Doctor Peters, or anybody else for the present.”

“You may rely upon me, squire, in that respect.”

“Shouldn’t we be able to detain Warner at Lewes,” asked Harry Goodall, “if we hurried on without stopping?”

“Capital thought,” said the squire. “We will do so, and press on at once.”

“Jump up by the coachman’s side, Bennet, and urge him on,” said the squire, as he entered, in a more resolute spirit; “but stop at the post-office first, Bennet.”

“Pardon me, Squire Dove,” cried Harry Goodall, “wouldn’t it be wise to give your local telegraph office a wide berth?”

“Good again, Goodall! What a far-seeing man you are! Yes, we may save time and stop Warner by so doing.”

The carriage drove off rapidly, the ladies waving, cheering good-byes.

“That was a wise precaution, brother!” exclaimed the squire, as they rolled along _en route_ for the Sussex county town, “and now that we are alone, what about your suggestion, which no one shall know about?”

“To be candid, squire, I would rather, before I unfold it, ask Warner’s opinion as to its practicability. If he approves of it, I might join him in carrying it out. If he disapproves of it, we may leave him to do his best to co-operate with other detectives at Newhaven. But should he agree with my proposal, I will explain the entire scheme to you, and you shall have the casting vote as to its adoption.”

“I hope you are not going to humiliate yourself by acting personally as a detective, Goodall?”

“Oh, dear, no; but don’t be too sensitive on my account, squire; but I have just one idea that might possibly facilitate matters--at anyrate, I will broach it to Warner, as I have every confidence in that man.”

“And so have I,” said the squire. “How opportunely he delivered at the fittest moment your uncle’s letter, to the discomfiture of the doctor.”

“Indeed! that was well put in, wasn’t it, squire?”

“A masterpiece indeed!”

The squire’s carriage had only just entered Lewes, when Bennet was seen to be gesticulating on the box, and was heard to cry out “Hi!” to someone in the street. It was Warner coming from the railway station, after having seen Trigger hurrying off to Sydenham.

“Get out,” said the squire to Harry Goodall, “and have your chat as soon as possible, while I go to the police authorities. The carriage shall come back and bring you up to me; perhaps, if you agree, Warner may be in time to push on to Newhaven by the first train, as the local police there will not allow the fugitives to escape, and no boat leaves for Dieppe until the tidal train departs.”

Highly delighted was the squire to see the aeronaut and the detective together when they came up in his carriage with an air of confidence and hope, as if they were of one mind as to Mr Goodall’s plan of recovering the lost property.

It was agreed that a telegram should be sent to Newhaven, and that Warner should proceed by the night tidal train. As there was time to spare, Warner proposed returning to the park to interrogate Saunders. And although the squire gave Warner leave to do so, he could not refrain from a mischievous smile at the detective’s zeal in wishing to get the cook’s version of her experiences from her own lips.

“Don’t allude to our little scheme before the ladies,” said the squire, as the carriage approached the Hall; “and as to you, Warner, I think you had better go round and see Saunders while you are in the humour.”

“Thank you, squire, I will avail myself of this early opportunity of picking up what I can, and will return.”

“You needn’t hurry for an hour at least,” said the squire, as he entered the Hall.

Harry Goodall availed himself of a word at parting with the detective.

“Simon!” he said, “you are a brighter and wiser man than ever I took you for. Keep everything dark, except your liking for the cook. At the same time, if you can pop in and interview Doctor Peters, do so, as I heard privately that the old fellow is in some trouble about what his servant alluded to at the meeting this afternoon.”

“Quite so, sir. I understand.”

“And you think our proposed plan of action will do, Simon?”

“First class, sir; that is, if we keep silent, Mr Goodall.”

“Everything depends on that,” were the detective’s parting words.

Of course the rumours referred to by Maria and others about the flying men and their quixotic performances at Haywards Heath, were not overlooked by Warner, who thought the fugitives might have harboured the idea of escaping through the air, or of carrying off by that route some fair Sussex maiden. However, Warner had arrived at the definite conclusion that Falcon and Croft had quite abandoned any scheme of making their exit by an aerial contrivance, and felt certain, even if Hawksworth might have been doubtful on the subject, that the financier and his confederate would make for Newhaven, and rely upon a sea passage across the Channel.

Warner heard that Hawksworth had been down instituting inquiries at Haywards Heath; but the palace policeman had no sooner endorsed Harry Goodall’s proposed plan for Warner’s line of action, than the latter decided upon making straightway for the South Coast, and of there going to work, not only in the immediate vicinity of the railway stations and the place of departure for the steamboats, but his observations would extend beyond--as far as Seaford.