brought in some cold meat, upon which the boys made a vigorous attack,
and then, taking possession of two benches, they dozed off until the
coach arrived.

It had but three horses, for one had been sent off to carry Bill,
the ostler, at full speed to the town at which they had last changed
horses, to fetch a doctor and the constable. The other two men had
remained with the guard, who was shot in the hip, and the highwayman,
whose collar-bone was broken by Peter's shot. The fellow shot by the
guard, and the other one, whom the coach wheels had passed over, were
both dead.

"There's the coach, Tom."

"What a nuisance, Peter, they'll all be wanting to talk now, and I am
just so comfortably off. Well, I suppose it's no use trying to get any
more sleep."

So saying, they roused themselves, and went out to the door just as
the coach drew up.

There was a general shout of greeting from the passengers, which was
stopped, however, by a peremptory order from the coachman.

He was a large, stout man, with a face red from the effects of wind
and exposure. "Jack," he said, to a man who was standing near, for
the news of the attack upon the coach had quickly spread, and all
the villagers were astir to see it come in. "Jack, hold the leader's
head. Thomas, open the door, and let the insides out. Gents," he said
solemnly, when this was done, "I'm going to do what isn't a usual