“Yes, everything seemed against me.  My horse was shot, and, just at the time, I had been having a bad run at the tables and had lost my last stiver.  I was in hiding for a fortnight at one of the cribs; for they had got a description of me from an old gentleman, who, with his wife and daughter, I had eased of their money and watches.  It was a stupid business.  I dropped a valuable diamond ring on the ground, and in groping about for it my mask came off, and, like a fool, I stood up in the full light of the carriage lamp.  So I thought it better, for all reasons, to get away for a month or so, until things quieted down.  I wanted to visit my banker, and it was a good many miles to tramp.”

“Oh, you have got a banker, captain?”

“I have one who is just as good, though I cannot say he shells out his money willingly—­in fact he was rude enough to say, when I called this time, that if I ever showed my face to him again he would shoot me, even if he were hung for it.  Bad taste, wasn’t it?  At any rate, I mustn’t call on him again too soon.”

“You haven’t settled on the night yet, I suppose, captain?”

“About the end of next week.  Friday will be a full moon, I think, and I like a moon for the work.  It gives light enough to see what you are doing, and not light enough for them to see much of you.  So I suppose I may as well fix Friday.  I will send up a message for Jack Mercer and Jerry Skinlow to be here on Thursday evening.  I will be here that afternoon, and settle matters with them as to where they shall meet me, and what each man shall do.  Then I will ride back to town, and come out again just as it gets dark, with Jack Ponsford.”

“I suppose you will do it north of here?”

“No, I will do it a mile or two out of town.  The road north of this is getting rather a bad reputation, and in going out of Barnet the guard now looks to his blunderbuss, and the passengers get their pistols ready.  It isn’t once in a hundred times they have pluck enough to use them, but they always think they will, until the time comes.  Near town we shall take them by surprise, and stop them before they have time to think of getting out their arms.

“Confound that window.  Shove something into the hole, Johnson.  I can feel the cold right down my back.”

A cloth was pushed into the broken pane, and Charlie could hear no more of what was said inside.  He had heard, indeed, enough for his purpose, but he had hoped to gather the name of the place at which the man would put up in London.  However, he was well satisfied with his success, and at once made his way back to the inn.

“Well, Charlie, how have you succeeded?” Harry asked, as he sat down at the table.