‘What’s the matter?’ ‘Nothing—only—only—’ ‘Only what, idiot?’ ‘I thought I heard somebody in trouble.’ ‘How so?’ ‘A pistol shot, captain, from your hands, I take it, is reason enough for that.’ ‘No, it is not. When you hear a pistol-shot from me again do not take it into your head that somebody is in trouble.’ ‘No?’ ‘Certainly not; but you may pretty safely conclude that somebody’s troubles are over.’ ‘Oh, Lord!’ ‘Come away at once now—there is no time to lose. Take care of the bundle. Have you it?’ ‘All safe.’ ‘Follow me then.’ Blodget ran down stairs as quickly as he could, and by the time he got to the hall he found that the whole four of the thieves he had brought with him had assembled there, and were looking at each other by their little pieces of lighted taper with something like consternation. ‘What is the matter?’ said Blodget. ‘Oh, captain, it’s all up.’ ‘What is all up?’ ‘All up with us. There is a force in the street of police. They don’t seem to know which house it is, but they are on the look-out about something being amiss at one or other of the houses on this side of the way.’ ‘Humph! What do you mean by a force?’ ‘About a dozen of them.’ Blodget bit his lips. ‘Yes, and they are close outside too.’ ‘No!’ ‘Yes they are.’ ‘I will satisfy myself. If it be only the ordinary watch I don’t think a couple of dozen of them ought to stop us from proceeding, and I will not permit them doing so either; but if they are some of these cursed Vigilance fellows, it is another affair.’ Blodget acted promptly. Nobody certainly could accuse him of want of courage or decision. He knew that the only way of discovering who were without was to take a good look himself; so, to the consternation and surprise of his comrades, he opened the street door and coolly looked out into the street. A sudden rush was made at the door by a couple of men, and Blodget soon saw ten or twelve others not far off. ‘Hold hard there, hoss,’ said one of them. ‘Don’t shut that door again, my fine fellow, if you please.’ ‘Ah, indeed!’ said Blodget, as he closed the door; but he was not quite quick enough, for a stick that one of the officers had with him had been pushed through the opening, and prevented the door from closing. ‘Ha, ha! it won’t do,’ cried the officer. Blodget laid hold of the stick and called upon the others to do so. By their united force they pulled it out of the officer’s hand, half dislocating his wrist as he did so, for he had tied it with a strip of dry hide to his arm. The door was closed in another minute, but it was only held by the lock, for Blodget had cut the bolts and had broken the chain, so that his situation with his four companions was anything but a very agreeable one. ‘Oh!’ said Ben, ‘I do begin to think as we have all dropped in for it at last.’ ‘Not at all,’ said Blodget. ‘Not at all, captain? Why how the deuce are we to get out of this mess?’