him."

"I have got a special engagement for this evening, Mark, or I would
offer to go with you and lend you a hand, if necessary."

"There is no occasion for that, Dick. We shall take the fellow by
surprise as he goes into his own house, and have him handcuffed before
he can draw a pistol. Then, when we have got him fairly tied up, we
shall put him into a light cart that we shall have handy, and bring him
straight to Bow Street. To tell you the truth, I am so excited over the
thought that I do not know how I should have got through the day if I
had not come in to have a chat with you."

"I can quite understand that, old fellow. Well, the best thing we can do
is to take a stroll out and look at the fashions. It is early yet, but
just at present it is all the rage to turn out early. It will do me
good too, for I was at Ingleston's last night, and the smoke and row has
given me a headache. I shall really have to give up going there, except
when there is an important fight on. It is too much to stand, and the
tobacco is so bad that I am obliged to keep a suit of clothes for the
purpose. Let us be off at once."

CHAPTER XVI.

At four o'clock Mark put up his horse at the Greyhound, and chatted for
a quarter of an hour with the ostler, who had been making inquiries,
and had heard of one or two other houses in the neighborhood which were
untenanted. Mark then strolled up the town, exchanging a passing
glance with Chester, who, in a velveteen coat, low hat and gaiters, was
chatting with a wagoner going with a load of hay for the next morning's
market in London. He turned into an inn, called for a pint of the best
port, and sat down in the parlor at a table close to the window, so that
he could see all who went up or down. He entered into conversation with
two or three people who came in, and so passed the time till seven, when
he felt too restless to sit still longer, and went out into the street.

When he was halfway to the Greyhound he heard the sound of a horse's
hoofs behind him, and saw a quietly dressed man coming along at an easy
trot. Had it not been that he recognized the horse, he could not have
felt sure that its rider was the man whose coming he had been waiting
for, there being nothing in his appearance that would excite the
slightest suspicion that he was other than a gentleman of moderate means
and quiet taste, either returning from a ride or passing through on his
way to town. He had a well built a