But he asked no more questions, and he made no mention of Mrs. Higgs.
Bob had fulfilled his errand well. Outside the wharf they found a comfortable landau, with two good horses, hired from the nearest livery-stable.
Bob grinned with satisfaction when Max, expressing his gratification, dropped into his hand a half-sovereign.
"Thought you'd be pleased, sir," said he, as he helped to get Dudley into the carriage. "I said it was for a toff, a reg'lar tip-topper; and so it was, s' help me!"
Dudley, who was very lame, and who had to be more than half carried, looked out of the window.
Max was still outside, trying to get hold of Carrie, who was on the other side of the carriage.
Dudley turned to Carrie, who drew back quickly and shook her head.
Max ran round at the back of the carriage and caught her by the arm as she was slinking quietly away.
"Where are you going? Not back in there? You must come with us."
"I!--come with you? To your father's house? Catch me!"
"Well, part of the way, at any rate," urged Max, astutely. "I dare not go all that way with him alone. See, he wants you to go. You shall get out just when you please."
Carrie hesitated. Although she saw through the kindly ruse which would protect her against her will, she saw, also, that Dudley was indeed in no fit state to take the long journey which was before him, and at length she allowed herself to be persuaded to accompany them on at least the first part of the journey.
And so, in the fog and the gloom of a January night, they began their strange drive.
The road they took was by way of Greenwich and Dartford to Chatham, where there would be no difficulty in getting fresh horses for the rest of the journey.
Dudley, who had been made as comfortable as possible by a sort of bed which was made up for him in the roomy carriage, seemed, after a short period of restlessness and excitability, to sink into sleep.
Max was rejoicing in this, but Carrie looked anxious.
"It isn't natural, healthy sleep, I'm afraid," said she, in a low voice. "It's more like stupor. It wasn't the water that did it, it was a blow on the head. You saw the mark. I'm afraid it's concussion of the brain."
"Ought he to travel, then?" asked Max, anxiously.
Carrie, who was sitting beside Dudley, and opposite to Max, hesitated a little before answering: