The fourth passenger, John Hale, had not been sleeping, and turned impatiently towards the window.

It seemed to him that two of the moving trees had suddenly become motionless outside.

One of them moved again, and the door opened quickly but quietly, as of itself.
"Git down," said a voice in the darkness.
All the passengers except Hale started.

The man next to him moved his right hand suddenly behind him, but as quickly stopped.

One of the motionless trees had apparently closed upon the vehicle, and what had seemed to be a bough projecting from it at right angles changed slowly into the faintly shining double-barrels of a gun at the window.
"Drop that!" said the voice.
The man who had moved uttered a short laugh, and returned his hand empty to his knees.