"Oh, but you can"t say," answered Connie. "Certain sure, it seemed as though Agnes spoke the truth."
"I thought that too; only father"s a very refined sort of man, and he"d never, never chuck Mrs. Warren under the chin."
"Agnes might have invented that part," said poor Connie. But in her heart of hearts she had long ago given up all hope of Ronald"s father coming to fetch him.
"She might," said Ronald; "that is quite true; and he might have had to go to the country--perhaps to rescue some one in great danger. He is the sort who are always doing that. That"s quite, quite likely, for it would be in keeping with father"s way. And he"d like me, of course, to be unselfish, and never to make a fuss--he hated boys who made a fuss. Oh yes, I did believe it; and on Sat.u.r.day night and on Sunday, when Big Ben talked to us, it seemed that it was mother telling me that father would soon be with me. But a whole week has gone and he hasn"t come. Why, it"s Sat.u.r.day night again, Connie. I"ve been back again in this house for a whole week now, and father has never, never come."
"Maybe he"ll come to-night," said Connie.
"I don"t think so; somehow I"d sort of feel it in my bones if he was coming back."
"What do yer mean by that?" said Connie.
"Oh, I"d be springy-like and jumpy about. But I"m not. I feel--oh, so lazy and so--so tired! and a little bit--yes, a greatbit--frightened--terribly frightened."
"You must cheer up, Ronald," said Connie. Then she added, "I wish we could get out o" this. I wish I could pick the lock and get aw"y."
"Oh, I wish you could, Connie," said the child. "Couldn"t you try?"
"I"m a"most afeered to go into Mammy Warren"s room," said Connie; "for ef she did come back and see me any time, she"d punish me awful; but p"r"aps I might find tools for picking the lock in her room."
"Oh, do let"s try!" said Ronald.
Connie half-rose, then sat down again.
"It"s me that"s the coward now," she said.
"Oh, how so, Connie?"
""Cos," said Connie, "there"s that dark room with no winder--"tain"t a dream, Ronald."
"I thought it wasn"t," said Ronald, turning white.
"No--it"s there," said Connie, "and I"m afeered o" it."
Ronald sat very still for a minute then. He was thinking hard. He was only a little boy of ten years old, but he was a very plucky one. He looked at Connie, who although a little older than he, was very slight and small for her age.
"Connie," he said, "if you and I are ever to make our escape we must not be frightened. Even the dark closet won"t frighten me now. _I_ am going into Mrs. Warren"s room."
"Oh Ronald! Are you? Dare you?"
"Yes, I dare. Father did worse things than that--why should I be afraid?"
"You"d win the V. C., Ronald, wouldn"t you, now?"
Ronald smiled.
"Not for such a little, little thing. But perhaps some day," he said; and his eyes looked very bright. "Connie, if we can unpick the lock and get the door open, where shall we go?"
"We"ll go," said Connie in a brisk voice, "back to Father John as fast as ever we can."
"Father John," said Ronald--"who is he?"
"I told you, Ronnie--I told you about him."
"I forgot for a minute," said Ronald. "You mean the street preacher."
"Yus," said Connie. ""E"ll save us. There"s no fear o" Mammy Warren getting to us ever again ef he takes us in "and."
Ronald smiled.
"The only thing I"m afraid of is this," he said--"that if it"s true about father, he may come here and find me gone."
"Let"s leave a note for him," said Connie then. "Let"s put it on the table. If Mammy Warren should come back she"ll find the note, but that won"t do any harm, for she knows Father John, and she"s awful afeered of him, "cos she said as much, so she"d never follow us there."
"The very thing!" said Ronald. "Let"s get some paper. Will you write the note, Connie?"
The children poked round in the sitting-room, and found a sheet of very thin paper, and an old pen, and a penny bottle of ink. Ronald dictated, and Connie wrote:
"DEAR FATHER,--I"ve waited here for a week. I am trying to be very brave. Connie"s an awful nice girl. We"ve picked the lock here, father, and we"ve gone to Father John, in Adam Street. Please come quick, for your little boy is so very hungry for you. Come quick, darling father.--Your little waiting boy, RONALD."
"That"ll bring him," said Ronald. "We"ll put it on the table."
Connie had written her letter badly, and there were several blots; but still a feat was accomplished. Her cheeks were bright with excitement now.
"What shall I put outside?" she asked--"on the envelope, I mean."
Ronald thought for a minute; then he said in a slow and impressive voice:
"To Major Harvey, V. C., from Ronald."
"n.o.body can mistake who it"s meant for," said Ronald.
"Here"s a bit of sealing-wax," said Connie. "Let"s seal it."
They did so, Connie stamping the seal with a penny thimble which she took out of her pocket.
"And now," said Ronald, pulling himself up, "all is ready, and I am going into Mammy Warren"s room to try and find tools for picking the lock."
"I"m a-goin" with yer," said Connie.
"Oh Connie, that is brave of you."
"No," said Connie, "it "ud be real cowardly to let yer go alone."
Hand in hand the two children crossed the ugly sitting-room, and opened the door which led into that mysterious apartment known as Mammy Warren"s room. It certainly was a very strange-looking place. There was no bed to be seen anywhere, which in itself was surprising. But Connie explained to Ronald that the huge wooden wardrobe was doubtless a press-bed which let down at night.
"She"d keep all kinds of things at the back of the bed," said the practical Connie, who had seen several similar arrangements in the houses of the poor.