“Will you,” said Miss Blow, “kindly go and fetch Mr. Goddard, your officer? He ought to know that his men have not returned.” “I don’t know will I be able to find him.” “Go and try.” “I will,” said Moriarty. “I’ll go and ask Jimmy O’Loughlin. If anybody knows where the officer is, it’ll be Jimmy O’Loughlin.” Jimmy O’Loughlin told Moriarty to go back to the ladies and keep them amused for a while by showing them over the barrack. Moriarty refused to do this. He said that the situation was urgent and critical, and that he would not take the responsibility of dealing with Miss Blow without help. Jimmy O’Loughlin reluctantly went down to the barrack. Miss Blow attacked him at once. “Where is Mr. Goddard?” she said. “He’s beyond,” said Jimmy, “in the post-office, and he left word that he wasn’t to be disturbed on account of his being terrible busy.” “He ought to be told that his men have not returned from Rosivera.” “I’d be in dread to go near him. It’s telegrams he’s sending, telegrams to the Lord Lieutenant and more of them high-up gentlemen, and that’s the kind of work that would be preying upon a man.” “Sergeant Farrelly left this at a quarter past twelve,” said Miss Blow; “and he’s not back yet.” “It’s a long road,” said Jimmy, “longer maybe than you’d think.” “It’s eight miles.” “And eight back along with that.” “That only makes sixteen,” said Miss Farquharson, who shared her nephew’s fondness for intricate calculations. “So they ought to be here by this time,” said Miss Blow. “It could be,” said Jimmy, “that they might be a long time looking for the gentleman they’re after before they’d find him. A fellow like that would be as cunning as an old fox, hiding himself when he saw the police after him.” “Oh,” said Mrs. Dick, “I do hope nothing has happened to them. It would be too terrible.” “The sergeant,” said Jimmy, “is a heavy man. He wouldn’t be as quick as another at doing a run on a bicycle.” “Still,” said Miss Blow, “he’s had four hours and it’s only sixteen miles.” “He’ll have to walk back,” said Jimmy, “and if so be the prisoner wasn’t willing to come with him it might be a long time before he got him along the road, for he wouldn’t like to be beating him. He has a kind heart, the sergeant; it’s hardly ever you’d see him as much as laying a stick across a child.” Miss Blow seemed more or less satisfied. The idea of Mr. Red driven by threats of violent batoning along a dusty road comforted her. Jimmy O’Loughlin made his escape from the barrack. He found Mr. Goddard scribbling a fresh telegram in the post-office. “Look at that,” he said, handing a form to Jimmy. “From Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle. Why have you not reported recovery of Members of Parliament?” “That’s not what I’d call a civil message,” said Jimmy. “What did you say to him?” “Susy Lizzie,” said Mr. Goddard, “give your uncle the answer I sent to the last telegram but two.”