Here he walked up and down for an hour, and then, entering a tavern, took his place at the window, where he could see up the street, called for a stoup of wine, and prepared for a long wait.

It was not, indeed, until three o’clock that he saw Nicholson coming along.  He was more gaily dressed than he had been on the previous day.  He had on a green cloth coat with gold braid round the cuffs, an embroidered waistcoat, yellow breeches, top boots, and three-cornered hat.  He was riding at foot pace.

Charlie went to the door as soon as he passed, and saw that, as he expected, he took the road to Westminster.  Looking round, he saw Harry riding about a hundred yards behind.  Charlie had no difficulty in keeping up with Nicholson, and traced him to a house in a quiet street lying behind the Abbey.  A boy came out and held the horse, while its rider dismounted, and then led it away to the stable of an inn a short distance away.  Charlie turned at once, and joined Harry.

“I need not have taken all the trouble I have, Harry, still there was no knowing.  Evidently the fellow has no fear of being detected, and is going to pass, for a week, as a gentleman from the country.  I suppose he is in the habit of stopping at that house whenever he comes up with his pockets lined, and is regarded there as a respectable gentleman by the landlord.  Now you had better take your horse to the stable, where you agreed to hand it over, and we will meet at our lodgings and plan what to do next.”

The discussion did not lead to much.  There did not seem, to them, anything to do until the day when the coach was to be attacked, but they agreed it would be well to take the advice of their friend the tipstaff.  Hitherto, they had not told him more of their motive for desiring to find Nicholson, than Charlie had said at his first interview with him.  They thought it would be better, now, to make him more fully acquainted with the facts, for they had found him shrewd, and eager to assist them to the best of his power.  They therefore sent a boy with a note to him, at the court, and at seven o’clock he came to their lodgings.

“We have found our man,” Charlie said as he entered.

“I am very glad to hear it, gentlemen.  I had quite given up all hopes that you would be able to do so, and thought he must have left town altogether for a time.”

“Sit down and take a glass of wine.  We want your advice in this matter, and unless you know how much there is at stake, you will not be able to enter fully into the affair.

“Some four years ago, this fellow was concerned in a plot by which six gentlemen, among whom were our friends, were brought to ruin.  They were in the habit of meeting together, being all of similar political opinions, and advantage was taken of this by a man, who hoped to profit largely by their ruin, especially by that of my father.  In order to bring this about, he recommended this fellow we are in search of to my father, who happened, at the time, to be in want of a servant.