d Ruth and the bosun departed for that neighborhood that
lodged you. I waited around the office, and when you left I trailed
you home.

"I met Ruth and bosun, and we hit upon a plan. I went to a clothing
store and purchased a suit of men's clothes, and overcoat, and a cap.
Ruth donned them in the privacy of the car. Then, she and I took up
our position in the dark doorway of the vacant house next door to you."

"Why, I recall! I saw a chap in a gray overcoat!" cried Martin.

"On the steps as you came out of the house," supplemented Little Billy.
"Yes, that was Ruth. You came out before we expected you, and we were
not prepared. You see, we had decided to hold you up. I was to shove
a revolver in your face, and Ruth was to relieve you of the envelope.
Your popping out so unexpectedly upset us.

"Ruth sneezed, and attracted your attention, and then she lost her wits
and beat it down the street. If you had looked more keenly into that
doorway next door, you would have seen yours-truly lurking nervously
there. But you went straightway down the street yourself, and, in
truth, I was not sorry that accident spoiled our coup. Neither Ruth,
nor I, liked very well the idea of sticking up that active-appearing
and uncertain quantity termed 'Martin Blake,' not to mention our
scruples anent law-breaking violence.

"Well, the hold-up was off. Ruth beat you to the corner, and informed
the waiting bosun of the failure. The bosun was properly valorous. He
would attend to the 'blasted law shark.' So, while Ruth sought refuge
in the automobile, the bosun lay in wait for you by the corner. He was
to grasp you in those enormous hands of his, subdue you properly, and
extract the treasure from your pocket--Ruth had told him which pocket.

"But, friend Martin, your penchant for making friends on sight saved
you. The bosun's scheme was to pick a quarrel with you, but when you
encountered him, your courtesy disarmed him. He confided this morning
that you were 'such a proper little lad, I didn't 'ave the 'eart to 'it
'im.' So, to gain time, and to boost his courage, he carted you into
the saloon and bought you a drink. And a good thing he did; otherwise
we would have been in ignorance of Wild Bob Carew's joining this game.
Ay, and Ruth might have disappeared and left us in ignorance of her
fate!"

A sudden, forcible, inelegant oath, ripped forth by the blind captain,
startled the group. It was not an epithet to use befo