“Stepping from my place of concealment I appeared unexpectedly before them. Brown uttered a terrified cry, and seemed petrified with fear and apprehension.
“To be detected when success seemed most certain was very mortifying. He had made his arrangements to leave the country that very night. I could see by the aid of the gaslight that he was ghastly pale.
“Wareham did not exhibit the symptoms of terror and consternation that characterised the bearing of his less hardened confederate, but he was a little thrown off his guard, nevertheless.
“‘Well, governor, what do you want?’ he exclaimed in a voice he vainly endeavoured to render calm.
“‘What are you going to do with all those letters?’ I asked.
“‘Letters—what letters?’ he replied, with well-affected astonishment.
“‘Those you have in your pockets.’
“‘I don’t know what you mean.’
“‘Don’t you, really? That’s a pity,’ I said, in a bantering tone. ‘Unfortunately I saw you put them away.’
“‘And suppose you did; what then?’ he cried, boldly; ‘I suppose you want something to keep your mouth shut?’