ial illumination of the street. It so happened that they
walked directly by where Ben was standing. They did not notice him,
though he plainly saw them. They were of large frame, and walked with a
slight unsteadiness, as though under the influence of liquor.

"There's the bank," said one, in an undertone, as though he was imparting
a momentous secret to the other.

"That's so; if we could only get in, knock the watchman on the head, and
kick in the door of the safe, we would make a good haul."

"Suppose we try it, Jack----"

For more than two hours a burly watchman had been hidden close at hand,
without Ben suspecting his presence. The last sentence was in the mouth
of the speaker when this policeman sprang upon the amazed strangers, who
were discussing the burglary of the bank.

He must have been surcharged with faithfulness, for, instead of waiting
until an overt act was committed, as all had been instructed to do, he
rushed upon the men in a burst of enthusiasm which knew no restraint and
passed all bounds.

"Yes, you'll rob the bank, will you?" he shouted, swinging his club aloft
and bringing it down on the heads of the others. "I'll show you--we've
been watching you. We know you. You're a fine set of cracksmen. You think
Damietta is a country town, but you'll learn different----"

These vigorous observations were punctuated with equally vigorous whacks
of the club, which it seemed must crack the skulls of the men, and in all
probability would have done so had they not risen to the exigencies of
the case and turned upon the policeman with remarkable promptitude.

Both of them were powerful, and finding themselves assailed in this
fashion, one knocked the officer half-way across the street, wrenched his
club from his grasp, and began laying it over his head. The stricken
guardian of the peace shouted for help, and tried desperately to draw his
revolver. Finally he got it out, but before he could use it that also was
taken from him, and it looked as though little would be left of him.

[Illustration: THE POLICEMAN BROUGHT HIS CLUB DOWN ON THE HEADS OF THE
OTHERS.--P. 144.]

But the other policemen came running up, and took a hand in the fracas.
While some went for the one who was belaboring the representative of the
law, others made for the second burglar. But he was more muscular, if
possible, than his friend, and he laid about him with such vigor that
three officers were prostrated before he could be secur