the key in his pocket. Then he remained there all day without giving
heed to his prisoners' threats.

Toward evening, having gone without drink infinitely longer than was
customary, they made appeals, to which Steele was deaf.

He left the jail, however, just before dark, and when we met he told me
to be on hand to help him watch that night. We went around the outskirts
of town, carrying two heavy double-barreled shotguns Steele had gotten
somewhere and taking up a position behind bushes in the lot adjoining
the jail; we awaited developments.

Steele was not above paying back these fellows.

All the early part of the evening, gangs of half a dozen men or more
came down the street and had their last treat at the expense of the jail
guard and jailer. These prisoners yelled for drink--not water but drink,
and the more they yelled the more merriment was loosed upon the night
air.

About ten o'clock the last gang left, to the despair of the hungry and
thirsty prisoners.

Steele and I had hugely enjoyed the fun, and thought the best part of
the joke for us was yet to come. The moon had arisen, and though
somewhat hazed by clouds, had lightened the night. We were hidden about
sixty paces from the jail, a little above it, and we had a fine command
of the door.

About eleven o'clock, when all was still, we heard soft steps back of