I suspected that Dawson was privy to John's presence in Haddon Hall, but I was not sure of it, so I wished to prepare the forester for his interview with Sir George and to give him a hint of my plans for securing John's safety, in the event he should not die in Aunt Dorothy's room.
When I opened the door in the Northwest Tower I saw Dawson coming toward the Hall from the dove-cote, and I hastened forward to meet him.

It was pitiful that so good a man as Sir George Vernon was, should have been surrounded in his own house by real friends who were also traitors.

That was the condition of affairs in Haddon Hall, and I felt that I was the chief offender.

The evil, however, was all of Sir George's making.

Tyranny is the father of treason.
When I met Dawson I said: "Will, do you know who Tom-Tom is ?" The forester hesitated for a moment, and said, "Well, Sir Malcolm, I suppose he is Thomas--" "No, no, Will, tell me the truth.