"You can stay or come," he whispered to Dobson; "I mean to go on and see this through." And Dobson, not without some inward fears, followed his example. It was delightful, this tracking a man down; it was like the stories of adventure, and he wanted to see the end of it. "Come quietly," directed Elgert in suppressed tones. "Don't make a noise with your feet, and stoop down; they might see your head over the bushes. That is it. Now follow me." Creeping along stealthily, Dobson in the rear, he followed the direction which Mrs. Charlton had taken, and presently the shrubberies ended, and there were flower beds and lawns. Clearly, it would be dangerous for them to go any farther if they wished to remain unseen. "We will stop here and watch," said he to Dobson. And the latter, crouching there, whispered-- "Where has she gone? I don't see her anywhere." "She must have gone into that cottage. I would creep across and try to peep through the window, but I am afraid that I should be discovered; and if we gave them the alarm, he might be off." "You don't think that the man is hiding there, do you?" queried Dobson, trembling betwixt fear and excitement. Truth to tell, when he had made his suggestion, it had been merely from the love of talking; he had not thought really that there was anything in it; and now there seemed to be a very great deal. "I do think it," Elgert answered. "Hush! Let us watch. No one knows that we are here, and no one can see us. We can easily creep out the same way that we came. Keep still, she is coming out of the cottage!" Yes, Mrs. Charlton was coming out, and with her a poor, bent decrepit old gardener. But--but she held his arm, and once she pressed a kiss on his cheek! Horace Elgert felt his heart thrill with evil triumph. He saw it all now. Mr. St. Clive was keeping the man here, in the position of a gardener, and Mrs. Charlton came to see him! "We have got him now, Dobson," he whispered to his companion. "We have got him now, and he will not get away from the police a second time! It is the first step to paying Ralph Rexworth what we owe him!" [Illustration: "'WE HAVE GOT HIM NOW, DOBSON,' HE WHISPERED TO HIS COMPANION." p. 230.] CHAPTER XXV JUST IN TIME "What shall we do next, Elgert?" Dobson whispered that question in his ear, as the two crouched in the shrubbery watching Mrs. Charlton and her husband. "Do! What a question! Get away from here, and then go straight to the police and give them information. They won't mention our names, and the fellows at the school need never know that we have had any part in it. We have seen enough, so come on, and mind you don't let them either see or hear you. I would not have them alarmed for anything." The two stole silently off, treading on tiptoe, walking with the greatest care, until once more they climbed over the gate, and stood safely in the roadway.