Harry could, of course, give him little news of what was going on outside the house, but Mr.
Jervoise might be able to tell him something about his father, especially as he had said he had means of learning what went on in Lancaster jail.
He was longing to be doing something.

It seemed intolerable to him that he should be wandering aimlessly among the hills, while his father was lying in Lancaster, with a charge affecting his life hanging over him.

What he could do he knew not, but anything would be better than doing nothing.

Mr.Jervoise had seemed to think that it was out of the question to attempt a rescue from Lancaster; but surely, if he could get together forty or fifty determined fellows, a sudden assault upon the place might be successful.
Then he set to work reckoning up the grooms, the younger tenants, and the sons of the older ones, and jotted down the names of twenty-seven who he thought might join in the attempt.
"If Harry could get twenty-three from his people, that would make it up to the number," he said.

"Of course, I don't know what the difficulties to be encountered may be.