CHAPTER FIVE

_Concerning the true Identity of our Highwayman_

'Twas some half-hour later that we found Jack in his library, seated
before the fire, his wine at his elbow and Pen at his feet, reading
aloud from Mr. Steele's "Tatler."

Upon our sudden appearance Penelope rose, and looked from myself to
Bentley a trifle anxiously I thought. Now, as I made my bow to her, I
heard Bentley softly begin to whistle "Lillibuleero," and though I had
heard him do so many times before, it suddenly struck me that this was
the air the highwayman fellow had whistled as he sat swinging his legs
upon the bridge.

"Bentley, to-day is Wednesday!" I expostulated, as breaking off in the
middle of a bar, he kissed Pen full upon the lips.

"To be sure it is," says he, and kissed her again upon the cheek.

"And ten o'clock," added Jack, "and time all maids were abed."

"Not before I even matters," says I. "I'll give second place to none,
least of all Bentley!" And I having kissed her twice--once upon the
cheek for Wednesday, and once upon the lips for myself,--she dropped us
a laughing courtesy, and with a final good-night kiss for Jack, and a
nod to each of us, ran up to bed. But even then Bentley must needs
follow her out to the stairs and stand there whispering his
nonsense--which goes but to prove the jealous nature of the man!

"What's to do?" says Jack, pushing the wine towards me. "I've sat here
with the cards beside me ever since eight o'clock--what's to do?"

"Why, you must know," I began, "we were stopped at the cross roads by a
highwayman--myself and Bentley, with Captain Hammersley and Sir Harry
Raikes--"

Here Bentley, returning, must needs throw himself into a chair, laughing
and choking all at once.

"Raikes--" he gasped,--"in his shirt--by the Lord! Oh, egad, Jack!
fluttering in the wind--"

"What in the world!" began Jack, staring. "Is he drunk or mad?"

"As I tell you," says I, loosening Bentley's cravat, "we were stopped by
a highwayman--" and forthwith I plunged into an account of the whole
matter.

"Egad!" cries Bentley again, breaking in ere I was half done, "here was
Dick offering Raikes a choice betwixt his horsewhip and his sword--and
he, look you, a full six inches shorter in the reach, while I--"

"You!" says I, "he couldn't help but pink you somewhere or other at the
first pass--"

"Well, Raikes was a-sneering as I say," pursued Bentley, "when up come