"Now you know the whole affair. Let us have your opinion as to the
manner in which we had best set about the business."
The man sat for some time, in silence.
"I can think of no better plan than yours, sir, and yet it seems to
me that there is scarcely any chance of your catching him at the
coach. Of course, it would be easy enough if you did not care
whether you killed or caught him. All you would have to do would be
to get half a dozen stout fellows, armed with pistols, on the coach
with you instead of passengers, and then you would be pretty
certain to kill some of them, perhaps all; but, as you can't do
that, and are afraid to shoot lest you should kill him, it seems to
me that you have a very small chance of catching him that way."
Charlie and his friend so thoroughly saw this, that they sat silent
when he ceased speaking.
"We could not arrest him now, I suppose?" Harry said at last.
"Well, you see, you have got nothing against him. He may have been
a Knight of the Road for the last five years, but you have no
witnesses to prove it, and it is not much use to accuse him of
intending to rob the North mail. You have no proofs, even of that.
It is only your word against his.
"There is no doubt that, after they have robbed the coach, they
will separate.
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