"Do you think it likely?" inquired a voice in my ear; and there was the man in black, broken out of silence for the first time.
"Maybe," said I indifferently, "and maybe not."
"Why," he says, in a raucous voice, "there is nothing here to tempt any such. What is there among us all?"
"Speak for yourself," said I. "I have that which I would not part with willingly."
"And I, sir," said the old gentleman. "But with three such young gentlemen to protect us we need fear nothing."
"Well, I will confess I wouldn't care to be stopped," says the man in black. "But they would not have much of me."
"There is my box of jewels," says miss, looking eagerly at Harringay, who smiled and nodded and clapped his hand to a pocket.
"'Tis safe," said he. "You may trust me for that, sweetheart." At which she smiled on him adoringly.
The man in black had sunk back into his seat, and his heavy breathing sounded presently in my ear, so that I concluded he, too, was fallen asleep. I was like to have done the same, for the jolting and the stuffiness of the air had wearied me; but at that moment the coach came to a stop, and there was the voice of the coachman calling out that this was Rake.
'Twas now darkling overhead, but the snow had ceased, and we entered the Flying Bull to refresh ourselves—a long barn of a place, with a surly landlord that had not sense enough to serve his customers properly. But the wine was fair, and I ordered a bottle or two, in the which I asked the old gentleman to join me.