And in reckoning up his chances he saw how fortune was favouring him.

At that very time the Highmarket Town Council was very much concerned and busied about a new water-supply.
There was a project afoot for joining with another town, some miles off, in establishing a new system and making a new reservoir on the adjacent hills, and on the very next morning Mallalieu himself was to preside over a specially-summoned committee which was to debate certain matters relating to this scheme.

He saw how he could make use of that appointment.

He would profess that he was not exactly pleased with some of the provisions of the proposed amalgamation, and would state his intention, in open meeting, of going over in person to the other town that very evening to see its authorities on the points whereon he was not satisfied.

Nobody would see anything suspicious in his going away on Corporation business.