John Thorndyke went out into the garden without another word. The
hour was nearly up when Mr. Bastow came out; he looked ten years
older than he had done on the previous day. He wrung his friend's
hand.

"Thank God I have been up there," he said. "I do not think they
will find anything."

"Say nothing about it, Bastow; I don't want to know whether you
found anything. Now I am going to fetch two or three of the men from
the village, to get them to aid the constable in keeping guard, and
another to go up to the house at once and order a groom to saddle
one of my horses and bring it here."

As it was now past five o'clock, and the Squire found most of the
men getting up, he sent one off to the house with the message, and
returned with two others to the Rectory. He told them briefly that
two highwaymen had been arrested during the night, and that as young
Mr. Bastow was in their company at the time, it had been necessary
as a matter of form to arrest him also. He went upstairs with them.

"I have brought up two men to sit with you, Knapp, until the Reigate
constables come up. You can take those handcuffs off Mr. Bastow,
but see that he does not leave the room, and do you yourself sit
in a chair against the door, and place one of these men at the
window. How about others?"

"The man you hit first, Squire, did not move until a quarter of
an hour ago; he has been muttering to himself since, but I don't
think he is sensible. The other one has been quiet enough, but