"It can't be Three Pines yet," said a passenger's voice, in which the laziness of sleep still lingered, "or else we've snoozed over five mile.

I don't see no lights; wot are we stoppin' for ?" The other passengers struggled to an upright position.

One nearest the window opened it; its place was instantly occupied by the double muzzle of a shot-gun! No one moved.

In the awestricken silence the voice of the driver rose in drawling protestation.
"It ain't no business o' mine, but it sorter strikes me that you chaps are a-playin' it just a little too fine this time! It ain't three miles from Three Pine Station and forty men.

Of course, that's your lookout,--not mine!" The audacity of the thing had evidently struck even the usually taciturn and phlegmatic driver into his first expostulation on record.
"Your thoughtful consideration does you great credit," said a voice from the darkness, "and shall be properly presented to our manager; but at the same time we wish it understood that we do not hesitate to take any risks in strict attention to our business and our clients.