If he had gone off with the
sack, he could not have gone fast or far with it. Failing to overtake
him, they might turn back to the cottage; for they knew themselves to be
in superior force. Beaumaroy was in greater danger than he knew--and so
was Doctor Mary in the house.
Big Neddy let himself down from the window, and put down his hand to lift
up the sack; he groped about for it for some seconds, during which time
Mike also climbed over the window-sill and dropped on to the ground
below. Neddy emitted a low but strenuous oath.
"The sack's gone, Mike!" he added in a whisper.
"Gone? Rot! Can't be! What do you mean, Neddy?"
"I dropped it straight 'ere. It's gone," Neddy persisted. "The Sergeant
must 'ave took it."
"No business of his! Where is the fool?" Mike's voice was already uneasy;
thieves themselves seldom believe in there being honor among them. "You
stay here. I'll go to the door and see if he's there."
He was just about to put this purpose into execution--in which event it
was quite likely that Beaumaroy, hearing his approach or his call to the
Sergeant, would have sprung out upon him, only to find himself assailed
the next instant by another and far more formidable antagonist in the
person of big Neddy, and thus in sore peril of his life--when the hum of
Captain Alec's engine became audible in the distance.
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