to
lull me; and then, all at once, I was wide-awake staring at the bubble
of glass that formed the lamp in the ceiling, and wondering where I was.

I recollected directly and glanced at my fellow-traveller, to see that
he was a little uneasy, one of his legs being off the seat; but he was
breathing heavily, and evidently fast asleep.

I lay watching him for a few minutes, and then the sweet restful feeling
mastered me again, and I went off fast asleep. One moment there was the
compartment with its cushions and lamp with the rush and sway of the
carriage that made me think it must be something like this on board
ship; the next I was back at the works keeping watch and wondering
whether either of the men would come and make any attempt upon the
place.

I don't know how long I had been asleep, but all at once, without
moving, I was wide-awake with my eyes closed, fully realising that I had
a valuable packet of some kind in my breast-pocket, and that my
fellow-traveller was softly unbuttoning my overcoat so as to get it out.

I lay perfectly still for a moment or two, and then leaped up and
bounded to the other side of the carriage.

"There, it is of no use," said my fellow-traveller; "pull that letter
out of your pocket and give it to me quietly or--"

He said no more, but took a pistol out of his breast, while I shrank up
against the farther door, the window of which was open, and stared at
him aghast.

"Do you hear?" he said fiercely. "Come; no nonsense! I want that
letter. There, I don't want to frighten you, boy. Come and sit down; I
sha'n't hurt you."

The train was flying along at forty miles an hour at least, and this man
knew that the packet I had was valuable. How he knew it I could not
tell, but he must have found out at Arrowfield. He was going to take it
from me, and if he got it what was he going to do?

I thought it all over as if in a flash.

He was going to steal the packet, and he would know that I should
complain at the first station we reached; and he would prevent this, I
felt sure. But how?

There was only one way. He had threatened me with a pistol, but I did
not think he would use that. No; there was only one way, and it was
this--he would rob me and throw me out of the train.

My legs shook under me as I thought this, and the light in the carriage
seemed to be dancing up and down, as I put my right arm out of the
window and hung to the side to keep myself up.

All this was