. "And there's that whole tin o'
coffee in the back room goin' to waste, and I guess they'd have paid
more'n a dollar for it."

"Where's Mr. Marchmont?" asked the second speaker, a remark which caused
Banborough considerable surprise.

"He's been keepin' out o' the way o' them Spaniards," said the
station-master, "lest they should get a sight of him, 'cause he may have
to shadow 'em in Canady, and he don't want 'em to get on to who he is.
He's gone upstairs now to get a snooze, an' that's where I'm goin', too.
There ain't no train for three hours, and I've had enough o' this durned
foolishness."

"What's that?" cried the policeman, as a sharp sound smote their ears.

"Tain't nothin' but the back door slammin'," replied the other. "I must
ha' forgot to latch it. The wind's riz a bit."

"Yes," said the officer, "and it's going to rain presently."

"I guess I'd better go and shet that door."

"No, you stay here; I want to talk to you. We'll let them get thoroughly
drenched, and you can offer them the hospitality of the woodshed. Maybe
we could alter the boundary-line a few feet in the interests of
justice."

Banborough waited to hear no more, but, drawing softly back, sprang to
his feet and ran noiselessly along the side of the house and round to
the unlatched door behind. Now, if ever, was his chance. He dashed into
a room which seemed to be a combination of kitchen and bar, but on the
stove stood a steaming tin can of savoury coffee, while among the
bottles on the shelf, just showing out of its paper wrappings, was a
goodly loaf of white bread. Had he left well alone, and been satisfied
with the coffee, he would have been all right; but the bread tempted
him, and to obtain possession of it he must go behind the bar. This he
hastened to do, unlatching the little swinging gate at the end, when a
scuffling sound from the room above gave place to heavy foot-falls on
the boards, and a moment later Marchmont called down the stairs which
evidently led into the front room:

"Say! One of that gang's in the bar! I saw him come up to the door as I
was lying in bed!" A bit of information which was instantly followed by
a clatter of chairs on the front platform.

Wedged in behind the bar, Banborough felt himself trapped. But a happy
inspiration seizing him, he possessed himself of the can of coffee and,
with the loaf of bread in his other hand, crawled under the protecting
shelf, while just at that moment a particularly s