The keepers were thoroughly terrified, and roared for mercy.

"Hand him out here, you scoundrels!"

"Yes! yes! Man alive, we are not resisting: what is the use?"

"Hand down his luggage."

It was done all in a flutter.

"Now get in again; turn your horses' heads the other way, and don't
come back for an hour. You with your guns take stations in those trees,
and shoot them dead if they are back before their time."

These threats were interlarded with horrible oaths, and Burdoch's party
were glad to get off, and they drove away quickly in the direction
indicated.

However, as soon as they got over their first surprise they began to
smell a hoax; and, instead of an hour, it was scarcely twenty minutes
when they came back.

But meantime the supers were paid liberally among the fir-trees by
Vandeleur, pocketed their crape, flung their dummy guns into a
cornfield, dispersed in different directions, and left no trace.

But Sir Charles was not detained for that: the moment he was recaptured
he and his luggage were whisked off in the other carriage, and, with
Rolfe and his secretary, dashed round the town, avoiding the main
street, to a railway eight miles off, at a pace almost defying pursuit.
Not that they dreaded it: they had numbers, arms, and a firm
determination to fight if necessary, and also three tongues to tell the
truth, instead of one.

At one in the morning they were in London. They slept at Mr. Rolfe's
house; and before breakfast Mr. Rolfe's secretary was sent to secure a
couple of prize-fighters to attend upon Sir Charles till further
notice. They were furnished with a written paper explaining the case
briefly, and were instructed to hit first and talk afterward should a
recapture be attempted. Should a crowd collect, they were to produce
the letter. These measures were to provide against his recapture under
the statute, which allows an alleged lunatic to be retaken upon the old
certificates for fourteen days after his escape from confinement, but
for no longer.

Money is a good friend in such contingencies as these.

Sir Charles started directly after breakfast to find his wife and
child. The faithful pugilists followed at his heels in another cab.

Neither Sir Charles nor Mr. Rolfe knew Lady Bassett's address: it was
the medical man who had written: but that did not much matter; Sir
Charles was sure to learn his wife's address from Mr. Boddington. He
called on that gentleman at 17 Upper Glouces