“And left the board there?” “Not on your life!” replied Nat. “We took the board in and hid it in a closet until we had tumbled the preacher out of the window. Then we slipped back, returned to the office building by the same way, and so went down to the street.” “And left the board——” “Of course! We weren’t going to lug it around in daylight. What harm could it do in an empty room?” “Oh, no harm, of course,” very sarcastically. “Nobody would find it, and wonder about it; oh, no!” “What do you mean, Claymore?” “I mean this: Nick Carter has that infernally sharp Patsy along with him. I believe you know Patsy.” “Yes, confound him!” “So I say! but while Nick went out to get Low, Patsy was nosing around town. He probably found that board; he probably saw you two fellows, and knew you; then he put two and two together, and the long and short of it is that Carter is after you.” “We’ll be hanged, sure!” groaned Jack. “There’s only one way out of it, boys.” “Well?” “Carter will come here to a dead certainty. He knows the town, and knows that this is the place where you would most likely hang out. He’ll come here.” “Then he’ll get a warm time of it,” said Nat. “If you think so, stay. But you know the Carters. If you want a chance to escape, take it now. There’s a train for San Francisco runs through here in half an hour. You can catch it.” “Come on,” said Jack, rising. “Hold on a bit,” said Nat. “Who pays the freight? We haven’t had our money yet.” “I’ve got it, but I’ll be hanged myself if I pay you in here. Get out on the street. I’ll go with you part way to the station, and settle with you.” “Don’t wait,” urged Jack. “That’s good advice. Carter may break in here any minute, or he may sneak in in disguise. That’s his most likely way, and then you’ll be nabbed before you know it.” Nat was rather pale now. “I’ll give him a fight for it, if he comes,” he muttered, but he got up, and the three went out. When they were on the street Nat turned. “Will you settle now?” he asked. “Don’t be in such a hurry,” was the sharp reply. “Your only safety is to get away from this place. Walk along toward the railroad. I’ll be close at your heels until I think it’s safe to stop and settle.” Nat hesitated. “Don’t you dare to try to skip without paying!” he hissed, savagely. “I’ll settle with you both before you get to the station. Get a move on! Carter may be here the next second.” The crooks started away, looking back frequently to see that Claymore was following. He kept about half a block behind them. Nobody but themselves seemed to be on the streets. There was a drunken man staggering along some distance ahead, but he didn’t count. He, too, disappeared around a corner before the crooks came to it. When they were about to pass that corner a quiet voice behind them said: “This will do. We’ll settle here.” “All right,” responded Nat. Both men halted and turned about. They looked into the muzzles of two revolvers.