It was in a secluded spot, quite near the river, and about a third of a mile from the Hall where Andrew was employed. He crept softly to the window and peeped in. Andrew was there alone. So he knocked at the door. Andrew’s astonishment was immense as he opened the door and still more so when he saw that his visitor was dripping wet. “Can you let me have some dry clothes, Andrew, and help me to get warm, and provide me with something for the inner man?” “That I can, Master Mitchell,” and Andrew bestirred himself, brought the clothes and made up a roaring fire and prepared a simple but appetising supper. When Ian had finished he stretched out his feet to the cheerful blaze. It was tempting to stay and rest after all his sufferings. The wound in his shoulder was very painful, although Andrew had bandaged it, and the sundry cuts and bruises made him feel very stiff. But there was much to be done and no time to be lost. He talked things over with Andrew, very cautiously, as he was not sure what line he would take. It so happened that the Hall was nearly empty; the family and their immediate entourage were South during the winter and the reeve was away on business with two of the other men; so Andrew’s help in getting the horses was not needed after all. Ian led him into all kinds of general gossip about the place and discovered how many horses were kept and where the stables were, without exciting any suspicion. Andrew offered to come with him to Holwick, but Ian doubted whether it would not make matters more and not less difficult and Andrew’s disappearance would itself give a clue. Luck favoured him, he found that the man who had charge of the horses, while the reeve was away, was a drunken fellow, whose cottage was not far from Andrew’s on the way to the Hall. Owing to the absence of the reeve he was having a more dissipated time even than usual. It was his custom to see to the horses the last thing at night, and Ian determined on an attempt to get the better of him. Without explaining his movements to Andrew he said it was time for him to be going, and he set out into the darkness. There was just enough starlight to find his way and he soon reached Jock’s cottage. The man had not returned, so Ian crouched down behind a tree to wait for him.