rting with and aiding the highwaymen after the
event, and of aiding them to conceal stolen goods--that is, if any are
found in his room.

"That much stolen property has been hidden there, there is little reason
to doubt, but it may have been removed shortly afterwards. It was, of
course, very convenient for them to have some place where they could
take things at once, and then ride on quietly to London the next day,
for, if arrested; nothing would be found upon them, and it would be
impossible to connect them with the robbery. Later on they might come
back again and get them from him. Of course, if nothing is found in his
room, we get rid of the charge of receiving altogether, and there would
be nothing but harboring, aiding, and abetting--a much less serious
business. Look here, old friend, I will strain a point. I will go out
into the garden again and walk about for an hour, and while I am out, if
you should take advantage of my absence to creep up to your son's room
and to search it thoroughly, examining every board of the floor to see
if it is loose, and should you find anything concealed, to take it and
hide it, of course I cannot help it. The things, if there are any, might
secretly be packed up by you in a box and sent up to Bow Street, with a
line inside, saying that they are proceeds of robbery, and that you hope
the owners will be traced and their property restored to them. Not, of
course, in your own hand, and without a signature. There might be some
little trouble in managing it, but it could, no doubt, be done."

John Thorndyke went out into the garden without another word. The hour
was nearly up when Mr. Bastow came out; he looked ten years older than
he had done on the previous day. He wrung his friend's hand.

"Thank God I have been up there," he said. "I do not think they will
find anything."

"Say nothing about it, Bastow; I don't want to know whether you found
anything. Now I am going to fetch two or three of the men from the
village, to get them to aid the constable in keeping guard, and another
to go up to the house at once and order a groom to saddle one of my
horses and bring it here."

As it was now past five o'clock, and the Squire found most of the men
getting up, he sent one off to the house with the message, and returned
with two others to the Rectory. He told them briefly that two highwaymen
had been arrested during the night, and that as young Mr. Bastow was in
their company at the tim