“That’s an idea, though,” said Mr. Hucks rising.

He went to the door and, stepping into the yard, emitted a loud roar like the bellow of a bull.  Apparently it was his method of telephoning to his employees.  After a moment a distant voice called back, “Aye, aye, boss!”

“Where’s Sam Bossom?”

“In the stables.”

“Then send him along here, and tell him to look sharp.  He’s the man for our job,” explained Mr. Hucks, returning to the counting-house; “and maybe you’ll like to make his acquaintance, too, after what you’ve ’eard.”

“Before he comes I should like even better to hear your plan of campaign; for it seems that you have one.”

“I have; but it being what you might call a trifle ’igh-’anded, I wasn’t proposin’ to drag a lady into it—­leastways, not to make her an accomplice before the fac’.”

“I’ll risk that,” she assured him.

“Well, you see, Glasson owes me for coal; thirteen ten on the last lot delivered, and six pounds owin’ before that—­total nineteen ten.  I warned him he’d got the last lot out o’ me by a trick; an’ I’m goin’ to send Sam to see if there’s a chance to recover it.  That’ll be by the back way—­same as the children got out.  Eh?  Here’s the man,” he wound up as Sam Bossom’s honest face appeared in the doorway.

“Good morning, Mr. Bossom.”  Miss Sally held out a hand.  “I’m proud to make your acquaintance.”

“Thank ye, ma’am.”  Sam looked at the hand, but rubbed his own up and down the seat of his trousers.  “What for, if it’s not makin’ too bold?”

“The lady here,” explained Mr. Hucks, “is a friend of two children that broke out of ’Oly Innocents t’other day—­as it maybe you’ll remember.  What’s more, she ‘s brought news o’ them.”

“Oh!” said Sam, his face clearing.  “Doin’ pretty well, I ’ope?”

“They were quite well when I left them, two days ago.  Come, shake hands and tell me.  How is everyone at the ’Four Alls’?”

“If it ’adn’t been for them children—­” blurted Sam, and came to a full stop.

Miss Sally nodded.

“They are wonders, those Babes in the Wood; and the funniest thing about ’em is, while they went along asking their way, they were all the time teaching it to others.”

“Well,” struck in Mr. Hucks, while Sam scratched his head over this, “I suggest the conspiracy may just as well get going at once.  Sam, I want you to step along to ’Oly Innocents with us, and on the road I’ll fix up your modest hopper’andy.”

Of this modus operandi the opening move was made as the trio reached the confines of the Orphanage premises.  Here, by the angle of the red brick wall, Mr. Bossom halted to strike a match for his pipe.  He struck it upon the iron cover of the manhole, and thus made opportunity to assure himself that the cover was still removable.  Satisfied of this, he lit his pipe and stood for a minute puffing at it, and staring, now at the stagnant canal water, now after the retreating figures of Miss Sally and Mr. Hucks, as without a backward look they passed down the towpath to the Iron Bridge.