to arouse something more than idle
speculation. Not a man moved--they sat or crouched like figures of
stone; and once again came that ominous jingle, exactly like the sound
that might be caused by the movements of a man whose limbs were
fettered.

"_It's the 'screws'!_" exclaimed one fellow in a horrified whisper,
with that morbid superstition which is sometimes found in criminals.
"This frost has done for them, and now they're following us with their
ghosts!"

"Shut your mouth, you fool!" replied his companion fiercely. "If
that's living men after us with the 'ruffles,' they won't put 'em on
me! I'll make a few more ghosts before that happens!"

It was evident that the whole party had arrived at the same
conclusion--that, by some means or other, they had already been tracked
down by pursuers and their whereabouts discovered. How this could have
happened it was impossible to imagine; but there was no mistaking that
sound--more than one person was moving towards us on the common,
incautiously allowing their approach to be heralded by the jingling of
chains. For the moment I think even Rodwood forgot the presence of
George Woodley and myself; but even if the thought had occurred to
either of us to do such a thing, it would have been madness for us to
shout or give any signal betraying our whereabouts, as we should
certainly have paid the penalty of our lives for such an act.

The sharp tinkle sounded first on one side of the pit, and then on the
other. Noiselessly Rodwood thrust his head forward into the centre of
his followers.

"They're coming up on both sides," he whispered. "It's that man Lewis
has done it," added the speaker, with an imprecation. "He's informed,
to get his own liberty. This is a trap; but they won't take me out of
it alive! Now, lads, no backing out. There are ten of us, and if we
all strike together we'll prove a match for them yet!"

The words were followed by a click indicating the cocking of a pistol,
and I noticed that the man nearest to me was working at a fragment of
rock, endeavouring to dislodge it for use as a weapon.

At any other time I think I should have openly contradicted this charge
of treachery against the absent man. Comparatively little as I knew of
Lewis, I felt sure that whatever his faults might have been, he was
never untrue to his own code of honour. I was, however, wise enough to
hold my tongue, for a word uttered just then had like to have been the
la