Captain Salt could not see their faces owing to the extreme width of their hat-brims.

But he turned a shade paler, and drawing back from the window stepped to the door, which opened upon the landing.

Moving softly to the balusters, he peered over.

Directly beneath him, at the foot of the stairs, sat yet another man in a broad-brimmed hat, who was engaged very tranquilly in polishing a pistol with an oily rag.

The barrel glimmered in the light that shone down the well of the staircase from a skylight above Captain Salt's head.
He retired to the parlour again and, after trying the lock of the door, walked to and fro in deep thought for awhile.