"Good for you, Hunterleys! There isn't one of those old guns of theirs that'll go off.

They aren't even loaded." The barn seemed suddenly to become half empty.

Into the darkness the little band of brigands crept away like rats.

In less than half a minute they had all fled, excepting the one who lay on the ground unconscious from the effects of Richard's blow, and the leader of the gang, whom Hunterleys still held by the throat.

Richard, with a clasp-knife which he had drawn from his pocket, cut the cord which they had tied around Mr.Grex's wrists.