CHAPTER VII.

IN WHICH A LINE IS DRAWN AND CROSSED.

"Say, are you asleep?" came the low voice of the tramp at the side of
Banborough's berth in the early hours of the morning.

The speaker stood in the aisle of the sleeper and was bending over him,
half dressed, the contrast between the sleek outer garments of the
Quaker and the rough underwear of the tramp giving him a most grotesque
appearance.

"Eh? what?" said Cecil, rousing himself, and noting, as he did so, that
it was still dark. A moment later he was fully awake, saying, as he sat
up in his bunk: "Is anything the matter?"

"I'm afraid so. We've stopped here more'n ten minutes already, and we're
scheduled to run through."

"Well, what of it?" said the Englishman, somewhat testily, for he was
very weary, and resented having his rest broken. "I suppose it's only a
hot box."

"Hot box be blowed! It's us they're after. If you looks round the corner
of your curtain, you can see the cops on the platform."

Cecil did as he was bidden, and, drawing back hastily, said:

"You're right. I'm afraid the game is up. Where are we, anyway?"

"If this is the station I take it to be, we're just on the line between
the two countries. But whether our car's in Canady or the States is
more'n I can tell."

"Is there anything to be done?" asked Banborough, turning to Smith and
Spotts, who at this moment quietly joined the Quaker at the Englishman's
bedside.

"Plenty," replied Spotts. "It's only a question of going North. Ten feet
may mean the difference between a prison and the 'Windsor.'"

"Well, what shall we do?"

"Are you dressed?"

"All but my boots and coat," answered Cecil. "I'm not enough of a
gymnast to disrobe in a space six feet by two, and besides I thought
something of this sort might occur."

"Well, get into your boots, then, and don't make any more noise than
necessary," said Spotts. "The ladies must be ready by this time. You
were called last."

"Are you going to make a bolt for it?" queried Banborough, as he put one
foot out of bed.

"Sh!" returned Spotts. "Not so loud! The officials out there on the
platform are not sure that we're on board. My suggestion that Mrs.
Mackintosh should buy the tickets was a lucky move, as she was not
known. I'm going to pull the bell-cord as a sign to start, in the hopes
that the engineer will get going before the conductor has time to
reverse the signal, which means we'll run to the next station. If we
don't s