"Now, you don't tell me? Perhaps you are right, but the object was robbery, all right enough."
"Nary robbery! Ther papers belongs to ther gents what wants to git 'em an' what engaged Bill to do the job."
"Possibly I might convince you to the contrary if I had time; but just now I will admit that I'm remarkably hungry. Put down the feed right here on the floor, and I'll turn to directly."
As the man stooped to put down the stuff, as directed, he brought his head quite close to Frank's lips. In the fellow's ear Merry whispered:
"I'll make it one thousand dollars in your fist if you find a way to help me out of this scrape."
The man started a little, gave Frank a look, then glanced toward the armed guard, who had heard nothing.
Merry touched a finger to his lips, thus enjoining silence.
"Ha!" he exclaimed. "Thank Bill for me! This coffee smells most satisfactory. It will serve finely to wash down the hard bread and beef. To a healthy appetite, like mine, this will be a feast fit for an epicurean."
The ruffian looked at him in apparent wonderment.
"Fer a cool galoot, you sure are the limit!" he exclaimed.