u will be sure to have
it right."

"Oh, hold on," interposed his companion. "Now that he knows who we are,
how do you know he will send the message as you write it, and not just
the other thing--give us away?"

The first speaker threw down his pen. "Well, I'm an idiot. That's so."

He thought a moment, then, turning toward Alex, eyed him sharply an
instant, and said: "Youngster, I'll give you a dollar a word if you will
give me your solemn promise to send this message just as I write it."

A bare instant Alex hesitated, while the tempter whispered that it would
mean thirty or forty dollars for a few minutes' work, and that everyone
would take it for granted he had been compelled to send it. Then abruptly
he leaned back in his chair and shook his head. "I couldn't do it," he
said quietly but positively.

"Oh, you couldn't, eh, Goody-goody?" exclaimed the smaller man, with a
snarl, catching up the revolver and pointing it at Alex's head. "Now
could you do it?"

The taller man caught his arm. "Don't be a fool, Jake. After all, we
couldn't be sure he wasn't fooling us even if he took the money.

"Look here, I have a scheme."

They stepped back and spoke together in low tones for a moment; then the
taller turned again to Alex, who meantime had remained quiet in his
chair, futilely endeavoring to think of some means of spreading the
alarm.

"I suppose you are not the only operator at this station, kid?"

"No; there is a day and a night operator. I am only 'subbing' for the
night man," responded Alex, wondering.

"Where is he?"

"At a party."

"Where is the day man?"

"At his boarding-house. But you couldn't get either of them to do it,"
Alex declared confidently, thinking he had caught the drift of their
purpose.

"Never mind what we could or what we couldn't. Where does the day
operator board? Is it far?"

Momentarily Alex had a mind to refuse to tell; then, on the thought that
suspicion might be aroused if one of the robbers went to rout the day man
out, he replied, "About a quarter of a mile," and described how the house
could be reached.

Again the two men held a whispered consultation, and at its conclusion
the smaller man hurriedly left.

"Now I suppose you are wondering what we propose doing with the day
operator," said the tall man, with a grin, when they were alone. "Well,
it's so good I think I'll tell you. One of the cleverest getaway schemes
you ever heard of, and my own idea. Can you gues