Some of the women had indeed been seized and set in the stocks, but the mayor had made light of the affair, and had altogether seemed in an unusually good state of temper.

Dame Anthony at once connected this with Jack's disappearance.

She knew that the list had been made out by the mayor, and the idea that her husband had taken this means of getting rid of Jack, and that he was exulting over the success of his scheme, flashed across her.

As the mayor was away at the town hall she was forced to wait till his return to dinner; but no sooner had the meal been concluded and Andrew Carson and the two assistants had left the table than she began: "Richard, I want to look at the list of the men who were pressed." The request scarcely came as a surprise upon the clothier.

He had made up his mind that his wife would be sure sooner or later to discover that Jack was missing, and would connect his disappearance with the operations of the press gang.
"What do you want to see that for ?" he asked shortly.
"I want to see who have been taken," his wife said.