Let me examine him, with your permission. Where did you
last see your master?"
"I know none of your places, sir," answered Diggory, sullenly.
Colonel Enderby spoke sternly and peremptorily. "In the town, or in
the fields? Answer me that, sirrah. In the field on the bank of the
river?"
"Ay."
"There you left your ranks, you rogue; that was the way you lost
sight of your master!" said the colonel. Then, turning to Lady
Woodley, as Diggory slunk off, "Your ladyship need not be alarmed.
An hour after the encounter, in which he pretends to have seen your
son slain, I saw him in full health and soundness."
"A cowardly villain!" cried Walter, delighted to let out some of his
indignation. "I knew he was not speaking a word of truth."
The children cheered up in a moment; but Lady Woodley was not sorry
to make this agitating scene an excuse for retiring with all her
children. Lucy and Eleanor were quite comforted, and convinced that
Edmund must be safe; but poor little Charlie had been so dreadfully
frightened by the horrors of Diggory's description, that after Rose
had put him to bed he kept on starting up in his sleep, half waking,
and sobbing about brother Edmund's brains.
Rose was obliged to go to him and soothe him. She longed to assure
the poor little fellow that dear Edmund was perfectly safe, well, and
near at hand; but the secret was too important to be trusted to one
so young, so she could only coax and comfort him, and tell him they
all thought it was not true, and Edmund would come back again.
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