And Shorty gave another snore. The man, having completed his warming, sat down by his carpetsack, laid his arm across it to secure possession, pulled his battered silk hat down over his eyes, and tried to go to sleep. The train rumbled out, and presently stopped at another station. Another man got on, also carrying a large, heavy carpet-sack. He was younger than the other, looked like a farm-hand, was dressed partly in homespun, partly in "store-clothes," wore a weather-stained wool hat, and his sullen face terminated in a goatee. The first-comer looked him over an instant, and then said: "Were you out late last night?" "I was," replied the second-comer, scanning his interrogator. "Did you see a star?" "I did." "What star was it?" "It was the Star of Bethlehem." "Right, my brother," responded the other, putting out his hand in a peculiar way for the grip of the order. Shorty, still feigning deep sleep, pricked up his ears and drank in every word. He had heard before of the greeting formula by which Knights of the Golden Circle recognized one another, and he tried, with only partial success, to see the grip. He saw the two men whisper together and tap their carpet-sacks significantly. They seemed to come to a familiar understanding at once, but they talked so low that Shorty could not catch their words, except once when the first-comer raised his voice to penetrate the din as they crossed a bridge, and did not lower it quickly enough after passing, and Shorty heard; "They'll all be certain to be there tonight." And the other asked: "And the raid'll be made ter-morrer?" The first-comer replied with a nod. At the next bridge the same thing occurred, and Shorty caught the words: "They've no idee. We'll ketch 'em clean offen their guard." "And the others'll come out?" asked the second-comer. "Certainly," said the first, lowering his voice again, but the look on his face and the way he pointed indicated to Shorty that he was saying that other lodges scattered through the neighborhood were only waiting the striking of the first blow to rise in force and march on Indianapolis, release the rebel prisoners there and carry havoc generally. "I see through it all," Shorty communed with himself. "They're goin' to the same place that we are, and've got them carpet-bags filled with revolvers and cartridges. Somebody's goin' to have a little surprise party before he's a day older." The sun had now gotten so high that Shorty could hardly pretend to sleep longer. He gave a tremendous yawn and sat up. The older man regarded him attentively, the other sullenly. "You must've bin out late last night, stranger," said the first. "I was," answered Shorty, giving him a meaning look. "Did you see a star?" inquired the older man. "I did," answered Shorty. "What star was it?" "The Star of Bethlehem," answered Shorty boldly.