“Nor I you, my own darling.”

Having come to this resolution, he was now seized with a fear that he would be assassinated before he could carry it out; to diminish the chances, he took up his quarters at the factory, and never went out at night.  Attached to the works was a small building near the water-side.  Jael Dence occupied the second floor of it.  He had a camp-bed set up on the first floor, and established a wire communication with the police office.  At the slightest alarm he could ring a bell in Ransome’s ear.  He also clandestinely unscrewed a little postern door that his predecessors had closed, and made a key to the lock, so that if he should ever be compelled to go out at night he might baffle his foes, who would naturally watch the great gate for his exit.

With all this he became very depressed and moody, and alarmed Doctor Amboyne, who remembered his father’s end.

The doctor advised him to go and see his mother for a day or two; but he shook his head, and declined.

A prisoner detained for want of bail is allowed to communicate with his friends, and Grotait soon let Hill know he was very angry with him for undertaking to do Little without orders.  Hill said that the job was given him by Cole, who was Grotait’s right-hand man, and Grotait had better bail him, otherwise he might be induced to tell tales.

Grotait let him stay in prison three days, and then sent two householders with the bail.

Hill was discharged, and went home.  At dusk he turned out to find Cole, and tracing him from one public-house to another, at last lighted on him in company with Mr. Coventry.

This set him thinking; however, he held aloof till they parted; and then following Cole, dunned him for his twenty pounds.

Cole gave him five pounds on account.  Hill grumbled, and threatened.

Grotait sent for both men, and went into a passion, and threatened to hang them both if they presumed to attack Little’s person again in any way.  “It is the place I mean to destroy,” said Grotait, “not the man.”

Cole conveyed this to Coventry, and it discouraged him mightily, and he told Cole he should give it up and go abroad.

But soon after this some pressure or other was brought to bear on Grotait, and Cole, knowing this, went to him, and asked him whether Bolt and Little were to be done or not.

“It is a painful subject,” said Grotait.

“It is a matter of life and death to us,” said Cole.

“That is true.  But mind—­the place, and not the man.”  Cole assented, and then Grotait took him on to a certain bridge, and pointed out the one weak side of Bob and Little’s fortress, and showed him how the engine-chimney could be got at and blown down, and so the works stopped entirely:  “And I’ll tell you something,” said he; “that chimney is built on a bad foundation, and was never very safe; so you have every chance.”