"You'll not catch me," thought
Humphrey; "and your guns are not loaded, so I'll tantalize you a
little." He made Billy walk, and turned round to see what the men were
about; they had arrived at where he had dug out the box, and were
standing round the hole, evidently aware that it was no use following
him. "Now," thought Humphrey as he went along at a faster pace, "those
fellows will wonder what I have been digging up. The villains little
think that I know where to find them, and they have proved what they
are by firing at me. Now, what must I do? They may follow me to the
cottage, for I have no doubt that they know where we live, and that
Edward is at the intendant's. They may come and attack us, and I dare
not leave the cottage tonight, or send Pablo away, in case they
should; but I will tomorrow morning." Humphrey considered, as he went
along, all the circumstances and probabilities, and decided that he
would act as he at first proposed to himself. In an hour he was at the
cottage; and as soon as Alice had given him his dinner--for he was
later than the usual dinner hour--he told her what had taken place.
"Where is Pablo?"
"He has been working in the garden with Edith all the day," replied
Alice.
"Well, dear, I hope they will not come tonight: tomorrow I will have
them all in custody; but if they do come, we must do our best to beat
them off.
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