to Major Slavering. Just imagine what he will do.â
âWell, weâll have to leave your uncle Frank to get on as best he can for the time being. Gracious! We only just escaped with our heads ourselves. Are you never content?â Danâs temper was short, not only because of his lively aches and pains, but also because he was starving, having had nothing to eat since before going to the wiggery. He didnât care if Alice looked mutinous. âI never thought that the laundry basket was a good idea,â he added reasonably, although not very kindly.
âDid you have a better one?â
âWell, no,â he admitted. âBut maybe I would have thought of one in time.â
âBut we didnât have any time, Dan Skinslicer. Thatâs the point.â Aliceâs voice was deliberately stinging.
The horses began to graze and Dan got up. âItâs no good blaming each other,â he said. âLetâs look on the bright side. Weâve lost your uncle, but weâve two fine horses. What we need now is a good breakfast, some different clothes, and a new plan.â He nudged Alice gently, not wanting to see her cross. They were stuck with each other for the time being. âAnd you never know. Maybe itâll be that Captain Ffrench who gets charge of Uncle Frank and not Major Slavering,â hesaid, and this was generous of him, for the thought of Hew was still irksome. âIf he puts the colonelâs head back on the Bar, at least heâll do it nicely.â
Danâs face was so honest and sensible, and he was trying so hard, Alice was ashamed of herself. She gave him a gentle hug. âYouâre right, Dan Skinslicer,â she said, âand whatâs more, you are a good man to have in moments of troubleâeven if you canât ride.â
âI can learn,â said Dan stoutly, returning Aliceâs hug with an awkwardness that had nothing to do with his injured shoulder. He extricated himself and eyed the majorâs horse balefully. âAt least, I suppose I could learn. Iâm really better with ponies and carts. These horses are too grand for me and this one knows it.â
Alice laughed. âIâll make a horseman out of you before we get to Towneley,â she promised, swishing her bare legs through the reeds. âNow. Clothes, foodâand Uncle Frankâs head. Which will you take charge of?â
Dan sighed. Alice was not going to give up. âAll of them,â he said, âbut Iâll walk back into town on my own. Thereâs lots of folk about so nobody will notice a scruffy man on foot and I know my way around better than you. Iâll see what I can pick up.â
âDo you have enough money?â
Dan felt in his pouch. âI have none,â he said sorrowfully. âIt must have all emptied itself in that dratted basket.â
âI have lost mine too,â said Alice. She opened her eyes, all innocence. âSo how will somebody who disapproves of stealing get what we need?â She couldnât resist teasing.
âIâll do it my own way,â said Dan, turning rather grumpy, âand anyway, this is different. This is an emergency.â
âAt least we can agree about that.â Alice took one large hand between both of hers to rub his temper away, then she got up. âI want to come with you, but I suppose somebody has to keep the horses. Be back by evening, Dan Skinslicer. If youâre not, I shall come looking for you.â
Quick as a flash, Dan was in front of her, seizing her and looking her square in the face. âIf Iâm not back by evening,â he said, deadly serious, âUncle Frankâs head or no Uncle Frankâs head, you get on that horse and ride as fast and hard as you can over those hills until you get home. You hear me? You ride straight home. Iâll not go unless you promise me, on the dead colonelâs soul, to do