“The old cove may have left something worth having behind him,” he said, after staring at the cold hearth ever so long. “Men like him often leave gold pieces and jewels and things behind them, locked up in brass-bound boxes; leastways the story books say so. I’ve half a mind to root up the old hearth stone; it’s a thundering heavy one, ain’t it? I wonder how he got it here all by himself.”

“It is pretty heavy,” I said. “For all we know he may have had help to bring it in. We’ve no time now to see into it; we’d better make tracks and see if Starlight has made back. We shall have a shape after a bit, and we may as well see how he stands affected.”

“He’ll be back safe enough. There’s no pull in being outside now with all the world chevying after you and only half rations of food and sleep.”

Jim was right. As we got up to the cave we saw Starlight talking to the old man and Warrigal letting go the horse. They’d taken their time to come in, but Warrigal knew some hole or other where they’d hid before very likely, so they could take it easier than we did the night we left Rocky Creek.

“Well, boys!” says Starlight, coming forward quite heartily, “glad to see you again; been taking a walk and engaging yourselves this fine weather? Rather nice country residence of ours, isn’t it? Wonder how long we shall remain in possession! What a charm there is in home! No place like home, is there, governor?”

Dad didn’t smile, he very seldom did that, but I always thought he never looked so glum at Starlight as he did at most people.

“The place is well enough,” he growled,“if we don’t smother it all by letting our tracks be followed up. We’ve been dashed lucky so far, but it’ll take us all we know to come in and out, if we’ve any roadwork on hand, and no one the wiser.”

“It can be managed well enough,” says Starlight. “Is that dinner ever going to be ready? Jim, make the tea, there’s a good fellow; I’m absolutely starving. The main thing is never to be seen together except on great occasions. Two men, or three at the outside, can stick up any coach or travellers that are worth while. We can get home one by one without half the risk there would be if we were all together. Hand me the corned beef, if you please, Dick. We must hold a council of war by and by.”

We were smoking our pipes and lying about on the dry floor of the cave, with the sun coming in just enough to make it pleasant, when I started the ball.