"Well, you must go to the station with me to see the captain."
"Not unless you arrest me," replied Ingham. "I want to know whether I am to consider myself under arrest."
"Yes, you can consider yourself arrested, if you want to," replied Stokes, who did not seem to like to take the responsibility of making the arrest under the circumstances.
"I don't want to, and I shan't, unless you say so," persisted Ingham.
"Well, then, I do say so, and we will go now. We can walk along together like two friends, however, and no one need know that you are my prisoner."
"I don't care who knows it," said Ingham; "but I think there is something strange in the way of arresting me."
"Well, I hope you will come out all right," Stokes replied, adding significantly, "and perhaps you will, if certain folks don't appear against you."
"I'm not afraid," replied Ingham; "there is no one who can say anything against me."
On arriving at the station, the same consideration was shown to him, and the station-keeper asked him to make himself comfortable in the main sitting-room.
"Am I under arrest?" he asked again.