“All right,” he said impatiently, “you needn’t do anything more except tell Pomeroy what time he’s to be at the corner of the road to-morrow.”

“I’ll do that, Lidderdale.”

“I should think you jolly well would,” Mark exclaimed scornfully.

Mark spent a long time over the telegram to Dorward; in the end he decided that it would be safer to assume that the priest would shelter and hide Cyril rather than take the risk of getting an answer.  The final draft was as follows:—­

     Dorward Green Lanes Medworth Hants

     Am sending persecuted Catholic boy by 7.30 from Waterloo Tuesday
     please send conveyance Mark Lidderdale.

Mark only had eightpence, and this message would cost tenpence.  He took out the am, changed by 7.30 from Waterloo to arriving 9.35 and send conveyance to meet.  If he had only borrowed Cyril’s sovereign, he could have been more explicit.  However, he flattered himself that he was getting full value for his eightpence.  He then worked out the cost of Cyril’s escape.

s. d. 
Third Class single to Paddington 1 6
Third Class return to Paddington (for self) 2 6
Third Class single Waterloo to Galton 3 11
Cab from Paddington to Waterloo 3 6? 
Cab from Waterloo to Paddington (for self) 3 6? 
Sandwiches for Cyril and Self 1 0
Ginger-beer for Cyril and Self (4 bottles) 8
________
Total 16 7

The cab of course might cost more, and he must take back the eightpence out of it for himself.  But Cyril would have at least one and sixpence in his pocket when he arrived, which he could put in the offertory at the Mass of thanksgiving for his escape that he would attend on the following morning.  Cyril would be useful to old Dorward, and he (Mark) would give him some tips on serving if they had an empty compartment from Slowbridge to Paddington.  Mark’s original intention had been to wait at the corner of Cranborne Road in a closed cab like the proverbial postchaise of elopements, but he discarded this idea for reasons of economy.  He hoped that Cyril would not get frightened on the way to the station and turn back.  Perhaps after all it would be wiser to order a cab and give up the ginger-beer, or pay for the ginger-beer with the money for the telegram.  Once inside a cab Cyril was bound to go on.  Hacking might be committed more completely to the enterprise by waiting inside until he arrived with Cyril.  It was a pity that Cyril was not locked in his room, and yet when it came to it he would probably have funked letting himself down from the window by knotted sheets.  Mark walked home with Hacking after school, to give his final instructions for the following day.

“I’m telling you now,” he said, “because we oughtn’t to be seen together at all to-morrow, in case of arousing suspicion.  You must get hold of Pomeroy and tell him to run to the corner of the road at half-past-five, and jump straight into the fly that’ll be waiting there with you inside.”