“Beloikes they’ll be yez best frin’s.  All roight.  Dhrive on and moind your eye, or the bull-dog will bark.”

They ordered a halt several times, while one and another went to a saloon for a drink.  It was fast becoming evident that, should there be any want of courage or recklessness, whiskey would supply the lack.

Merwyn preserved nonchalant indifference, even when his disreputable companions were approached by those with whom they were in league, and information and orders were exchanged which he partially overheard.  Although much was said in a jargon that he scarcely understood, he gathered that nothing less was on foot than an attack on police headquarters, in the hope of crushing at the start the power most feared.  Therefore, while he maintained his mask, every sense was on the alert.

At length they reached Union Square, and the occupants of the hack alighted.  Two went east and one west, while the leader said to Merwyn, who had also jumped down:  “Take me to your gang.  We’re afther needing ivery divil’s son of ’im widin the next hour or so.  It’s a big game we’re playin’ now, me lad, an’ see that ye play square and thrue, or your swateheart’ll miss ye the noight.”

“You’ll have to have a bigger crowd on Broadway before you’ll get our fellows out,” Merwyn replied.  “We’re not going to face the cops until there’s enough on hand to give us a livin’ chance.”

“There’ll be plenty on hand—­more’n ye ever seed in yer loife—­before ye’re an hour older.  So lead on, and shtop your palaver.  I’m not quite sure on ye yet.”

“You soon will be,” replied Merwyn, with his reckless and misleading laugh.  “My course is down Broadway to Bleecker Street and then west.  I can show you as pretty a lot of fellows as you’ll want to see, and most of us are armed.”

“All roight.  Broadway suits me.  I want to see if the coast is clear.”

“So do I, and what the cops are about in these diggin’s.  The right thing to do is for all hands to pitch right on to them in Mulberry Street, and then the game’s in our own hands.”

“If that’s the lark we have on foot, can ye promise that yer gang’ll join us?”

“Yes, sir, for we’d know that meant business.”

“How many could ye muster?”

“I hardly know.  We were a-growin’ fast when I left.”

“Well, lead on loively.  Ivery minute now should give me a dozen men, an’ we want to start the blaze down this way.  I tell ye it’s a burning-up town.”

“So I should guess from the smoke we see,” said Merwyn, with his old laugh.  “Jupiter! there comes a squad of cops.”

“Well, what do we care?  We’re two paceable, dacent citizens, a-strollin’ down Broadway.”

“Oh, I’m not afraid,” was the careless reply.  “I’m going to see this scrimmage out, and I like the fun.  Let’s watch the cops cross the street, and see how they are armed.”