ed every one among them. That
was curious, wasn't it?

We put in a night at Jonathan Barnes's on our way back. Maddie got the
earrings, and Bella the making of a new riding habit, which she had been
wanting and talking about for a good while. Starlight dressed up, and
did the new chum young Englishman, eyeglass and all, over again, and
repeated the conversation he had with the Inspector of Police about
his friend Mr. Muldoon's illness, and the colts he recommended. It was
grand, and the girls laughed till they cried again. Well, those were
merry days; we DID have a bit of fun sometimes, and if the devil was
dogging us he kept a good way out of sight. It's his way at the start
when fellows take the downward track.

. . . . .

We got back safe enough, and father opened his eyes when he saw the
roll of notes Starlight counted over as the price of the colts.
'Horse-breeding's our best game,' says the old man, 'if they're going to
pay such prices as this. I've half a mind to start and take a lot over
to Port Phillip.'

Chapter 25

Our next chance came through father. He was the intelligence man, and
had all the news sent to him--roundabout it might be, but it always
came, and was generally true; and the old man never troubled anybody
twice that he couldn't believe in, great things or small. Well, word was
passed about a branch bank at a place called Ballabri, where a goodish
bit of gold was sent to wait the monthly escort. There was only the
manager and one clerk there now, the other cove having gone away on sick
leave. Towards the end of the month the bank gold was heaviest and the
most notes in the safe. The smartest way would be to go into the bank
just before shutting-up time--three o'clock, about--and hand a cheque
over the counter. While the clerk was looking at it, out with a revolver
and cover him. The rest was easy enough. A couple more walked in after,
and while one jumped over the counter and bailed up the manager the
other shut the door. Nothing strange about that. The door was always
shut at three o'clock sharp. Nobody in town would drop to what might be
going on inside till the whole thing was over, and the swag ready to be
popped into a light trap and cleared off with.

That was the idea. We had plenty of time to think it over and settle it
all, bit by bit, beforehand.

So one morning we started early and took the job in hand. Every little
thing was looked through and talked over