“On the shelf there,” replied another man, pointing. He grinned happily. “Smith is a fool. A glass apiece couldn’t hurt a flea. Not a flea! And I am cold. I say we give him a little too.” He nodded toward O’Brien.
O’Brien turned chilly himself. With his life hanging on the merest thread, he did not want to get a dose of drugged whiskey! But he nodded his head violently, and looked as wistful as he could.
“There is not enough for four,” said John coldly. “Perhaps where he is going there will be a drink ready for him.”
He set the grimy glasses in a row and with great care poured out a portion for each. The division filled the glasses pretty well, and O’Brien wondered if there would be four dead men before the night ended.
One of the men looked at his watch.
“Two o’clock,” he said. “What’s the use of waiting? Let’s give him the shot and take him down. I want to go to bed.”
“Bed? What are you talking about?” demanded the other. “You have got to catch that four o’clock train for the dirigible.”
“We have an alarm clock. We can get a little snooze. That is why I want to get this job done.”
“That is why Smith told you to wait ’til three,” said John. “Come, take your drink and have a smoke, and then it will soon be time to put our guest on his homeward way.” He laughed evilly and lifted his glass. O’Brien noted with delight that his was the largest share. Drops of perspiration stood like beads on O’Brien’s forehead as he lay there bound and gagged, waiting to see if the powder in the whiskey was going to work. What if it should taste and rouse suspicion in the breasts of the three villains? But the three drank down their several potions without a blink. They did not follow it with water, but let the fiery liquid run down their leathern throats as though it was milk.
Then filling their pipes, they settled back in their chairs to await the hour set for O’Brien’s death. For fifteen minutes they talked and laughed and quarrelled about the exact time of administering the poison. But John stood firm. Smith had said three o’clock, and not one moment earlier would he hear to. He yawned as he spoke, and yawns from the others answered him. Suddenly he looked up with a queer look of surprise on his face.