The dray was backed in until the cask stood beneath the blocks. Both men with some apparent difficulty got the sling fixed, and then pulling on the chain loop, slowly raised the cask. ‘That’ll do,’ said the bearded man when it was some six inches up. ‘Draw out now.’ The wiry man came to the horse’s head and brought the dray out of the building, stopping in front of the yard gate. Taking the lantern from its hook and leaving the cask swinging in mid-air, the bearded man followed. He closed the coach-house doors and secured them with a running bolt and padlock, then crossed to the yard gates and began unfastening them. Both men were now within fifteen feet of Constable Walker, and he lay scarcely daring to breathe. The wiry man spoke for the first time. ‘’Arf a mo,’ mister,’ he said, ‘what abaht that there money?’ ‘Well,’ said the other, ‘I’ll give you yours now, and the other fellow can have his any time he comes for it.’ ‘I don’t think,’ the wiry man replied aggressively. ‘I’ll take my pal’s now along o’ my own. When would ’e ’ave time to come around ’ere looking for it?’ ‘If I give it to you, what guarantee have I that he won’t deny getting it and come and ask for more?’ ‘You’ll ’ave no guarantee at all abaht it, only that I just tells yer. Come on, mister, ’and it over an’ let me get away. And don’t yer go for to think two quid’s goin’ for to settle it up. This ain’t the job wot we expected when we was ’ired, this ain’t. If you want us for to carry your little game through on the strict q.t., why, you’ll ’ave to pay for it, that’s wot.’ ‘Confound your impertinence! What the devil do you mean?’ The other leered. ‘There ain’t no cause for you to swear at a poor workin’ man. Come now, mister, you an’ me understands each other well enough. You don’t want no questions asked. Ten quid apiece an’ me an’ my pal we don’t know nothin’ abaht it.’ ‘My good man, you’ve gone out of your senses. I have nothing to keep quiet. This business is quite correct.’ The wiry man winked deliberately. ‘That’s orl right, mister, it’s quite c’rrect. And ten quid apiece’ll keep it that way?’ There was silence for a moment, and the bearded man spoke:-- ‘You suspect there is something wrong about the cask? Well, you’re wrong, for there isn’t. But I admit that if you talk before Thursday next I’ll lose my bet. See here, I’ll give you five pounds apiece and you may have your mate’s.’ He counted out some coins, chinking them in his hands. ‘You may take it or leave it. You won’t get any more, for then it would be cheaper for me to lose the bet.’ The wiry man paused, eyeing the gold greedily. He opened his mouth to reply, then a sudden thought seemed to strike him. Irresolutely he stood, glancing questioningly at the other. Constable Walker could see his face clearly in the light of the lantern, with an evil, sardonic smile curling his lips. Then, like a man who, after weighing a problem, comes to a decision, he took the money and turned to the horse’s head.