pered, as Raikes slowly kicked off his boots one after
the other, "this fellow's a madman beyond a doubt, or we are dreaming."
Bentley's reply was something betwixt a groan and a choke, and looking
round, I saw that his face was purple.

"Man, don't do that," I cried, "you'll burst a blood-vessel!"

"Come," says the fellow, breaking off his whistle of a sudden, and
turning over the garments at his feet with the toe of his boot, "you
wouldn't go for to cheat me out of your breeches, would you? Come now,
master, off with 'em, I say, for look ye, I mislike to be kept waiting
for a thing as I wants--such being my natur', d'ye take me?"

Sir Harry Raikes stood rigid, his face dead white--only his burning eyes
and twitching mouth told of the baffled fury that was beyond all words.
Twice he essayed to speak and could not--once he turned to look at us
with an expression of such hopeless misery and mute appeal as moved even
me to pity. As for the highwayman, he began to whistle and swing his
legs once more.

"Bentley," says I, "this must go no farther."

"What can we do?" gasped Bentley, and laid his heavy hand upon my arm.

"Come," says the fellow again, rising to his feet.

"No," cries Raikes, in a choking voice, "not for all the devils in
hell!"

"I'll count five," grinned the fellow, and he levelled his pistols.

"One!" says he, but Raikes never stirred--"Two," the harsh, inexorable
voice went on, "three--four--" There was a sudden wild sob, and Sir
Harry Raikes was shivering in his hat and shirt. The highwayman now
turned his attention to Raikes's horse--though keeping a wary eye upon
us--and having drawn both pistols from their holsters, motioned him to
remount. Sir Harry obeyed with never so much as a word; which done, the
fellow gave a whistle, upon which a horse appeared from the shadow of
the hedge beyond, from whose saddle he took two lengths of cord, and
beckoning to the Captain, set him to bind Raikes very securely to the
stirrup-leathers. As one in a dream the Captain proceeded about it
(bungling somewhat in the operation), but it was done at last.

"Now, my masters," says the fellow briskly, "I must trouble each one of
you for his barkers--and no tricks, mark me, no tricks!" With this he
nodded to Bentley, who yielded up his weapons after a momentary
hesitation, while the Captain seemed positively eager to part with his,
and I in my turn was necessitated to do the same.

It may be a matter of wonder to