replying by a short word or two to their remarks on
the weather.

"A surly ill-conditioned sort of fellow," Harry said.

"It may be, Harry, that badness of trade has spoiled his temper.
However, so long as his beer is good, it matters little about his
mood."

They had finished their bread and cheese, and were sitting idly,
being in no hurry to start on their way back, when a man on
horseback turned off from the road and came up the narrow lane in
which the house stood. As Charlie, who was facing that way, looked
at him he started, and grasped Harry's arm.

"It is our man," he said. "It is Nicholson himself! To think of our
searching all London, these weeks past, and stumbling upon him
here."

The man stopped at the door, which was at once opened by the
landlord.

"All right, I suppose, landlord?" the man said, as he swung himself
from his horse.

"There is no one here except two young fellows, who look to me as
if they had spent their last penny in London, and were travelling
down home again."

He spoke in a lowered voice, but the words came plainly enough to
the ears of the listeners within. Another word or two was spoken,
and then the landlord took the horse and led it round to a stable
behind, while its rider entered the room. He stopped for a moment
at the open door of the taproom, and stared at the two young men,
who had just put on their hats again. They looked up carelessly,
and Harry said:

"Fine weather for this time of year."

The man replied by a grunt, and then passed on into the landlord's
private room.

"That is the fellow, sure enough, Charlie," Harry said, in a low
tone. "I thought your eyes might have deceived you, but I remember
his face well. Now what is to be done?"

"We won't lose sight of him again," Charlie said. "Though, if we
do, we shall know where to pick up his traces, for he evidently
frequents this place. I should say he has taken to the road. There
were a brace of pistols in the holsters. That is how it is that we
have not found him before. Well, at any rate, there is no use
trying to make his acquaintance here. The first question is, will
he stay here for the night or not--and if he does not, which way
will he go?"

"He came from the north," Harry said. "So if he goes, it will be
towards town."

"That is so. Our best plan will be to pay our reckoning and start.
We will go a hundred yards or so down the road, and then lie down
behind a hedge, so as to see if he passe