fool won't let me move. If you don't take him away, I'll break the
furniture. I can do that, although I'm not able to throw the big brute
out."

Foster walked to the window, which he opened. It was some distance
from the ground and there was nothing that would be a help in climbing
down. Besides, Walters did not look capable of trying to escape.

"We'll take him away," he said, and beckoning Pete and the manager,
went out. He locked the door on the other side and resumed: "Send up a
comfortable chair, a blanket, and a packet of tobacco. If there's any
trouble, you can state that you acted on compulsion and we'll support
you, but I rather think you can seize and hold a criminal when you
catch him in the act. Stop here until I relieve you, Pete."

Pete nodded and the others went to the dining-room. After dinner,
Foster took his turn on watch, but by and by Pete reappeared, holding
the page by the arm. He signed to Foster, who went down the passage to
meet him.

"I thought I'd maybe better tak' a look roon the back o' the hoose and
found the laddie aneath the window. He had a bit paper in his hand."

Foster told him to watch Walters' door, and frowned at the lad.

"I reckon you'd sooner keep out of jail."

"Sure," said the lad, with an effort at carelessness; "I'm not going to
get in."

"Well," said Foster grimly, "you're taking steep chances just now. The
police will be here to-morrow and there'll be trouble if they know you
tried to help their prisoner escape. Where's the telegram he threw you
down?"

"It wasn't a telegram."

"A letter's just as bad. The wisest thing you can do is to give it me."

The lad hesitated, but let him have the crumpled envelope. "I was to
give it one of the train hands when the next freight stops for water."

Foster opened the envelope, which was addressed to Telford at the
mining town. The letter was written guardedly, but after studying it
with knitted brows he thought he understood its purport.

"How much were you to get for sending this?" he asked.

"Mr. Walters threw me three dollars. I allow I'd have to give
something to the brakesman."

"After all, I don't see why you shouldn't deliver the thing," Foster
said thoughtfully. "That means you can keep the money, but as the
brakesman's not allowed to carry letters, he'll probably want a dollar.
Wait until I get a new envelope."

The boy went off, looking relieved, and Foster returned to his chair at
Walte