308 A JACOBITE EXILE

ing to come up close to him as he gets into town. I will
start early and wait at the beginning of the houses, and
it is hard if one or other of us does not manage to find out
where he hides.”

They had no difficulty in arranging with the landlord for
a horse, which was to be left in a stable he named in town.
They gave him a deposit, for which he handed them a
note, by which the money was to be returned to them by
the stable-keeper on their handing over the horse in good
condition.

After the meal they sallied out again and walked to the
tavern, which was a small place standing apart from other
houses. ‘There was a light in the tap-room, but they guessed
that here, as at the other stopping-place, the man they
wanted would be ina private apartment. Passing the house
they saw a light in a side-window, and noiselessly opening
a little wicket-gate they stole into the garden. Going a
short distance back from the window, so that the light
should not show their faces, they looked in, and saw the
man they sought sitting by the fire, with a table on which
stood a bottle and two glasses beside him, and another man
facing him.

“Stay where you are, Harry. I will steal up to the win-
dow and find out whether I can hear what they are saying.”

Stooping close under the window he could hear the mur-
mur of voices, but could distinguish no words. He rejoined
his companion. “Iam going to make a trial to overhear
them, Harry, and it is better that only one of us should be
here. You go back to the inn and wait for me there.”

“What are you going to do, Charlie?”

“T am going to throw a stone through the lower part of
the window. Then I shall hide. They will rush out, and
when they can find no one they will conclude that the stone
was thrown by some mischievous boy going along the road.
When all is quiet again I will creep up to the window, and