the whole business of their
daily life would have to be reorganized. For they were now a city in a
state of siege.

Eben knew too well the conditions of his life's tenure, to refuse to do
anything Stair Garland bade him. He believed that while in the company
of any of the band, he existed only by sufferance and had reason to be
grateful for each hour of life vouchsafed to him.

So he made the porridge without demur, just as he had gone to bed fully
dressed so as to be ready for any demand that the night might bring.

The meal being properly stirred, the porridge was poured into three
wooden platters. Then Stair took a lump of fine Glenanmays salt butter
from the firkin and dabbed it into the centre of each dish, the same
amount for each. After which he went and knocked on the thin partition
of Julian Wemyss's cubicle. Mr. Wemyss was already on foot, and had, in
fact, almost finished the elaborate toilette which was habitual to him.

He saluted Stair and the spy with his usual calm civility, and with one
glance at the stained, "up-all-night" look of Stair's dress, he gathered
the truth. Stair Garland had been watching while he slept. He blushed a
little at the thought, and resolved that for the future he would do his
full share of night duty. Nay, even to-day he would see to it that Stair
got his proper hours of repose. In the meantime, however, Stair's mind
was full of quite another matter.

The loyalty of Eben McClure must be tested, and Stair was only waiting
for the end of the meal in order to instruct the victim how he was to
prove it. The door was open and Eben sat on the inner side of the table
facing it. Between him and the light were Stair Garland and Stair
Garland's gun. As usual Mr. Wemyss sat at the end of the table nearest
to the fire.

"Eben," said Stair Garland, setting his elbows squarely on the table and
leaning forward, "you are an intelligent man and you will understand
that since the Bothy has been surrounded by an armed force and we may
expect an assault any hour, your position has very much changed. We took
you, to a very great extent, on your own statement. Now I do not think
that you have sold us, or that you have brought these people down upon
us. But we need to be sure. It will be obvious to you that if we are to
depend on a third man in our midst, that third man must have all our
confidence. Now, this is what I intend that you shall do. You and I
shall follow the path as far as the big p