Page:Chipperfield--Unseen Hands.djvu/187

Rh roused himself and made fresh coffee, and that together with the hearty supper which the two men ate seemed to neutralize the effect of what they had drunk; nor were they in any haste to renew their libations.

In an inward fever of suspense Odell forced himself to lie motionless while they smoked leisurely and carried on an intermittent conversation of which he could make nothing. Had they forgotten the bottle of drugged liquor which stood before their very eyes? He had no way of judging the hour, but the oil in the lamp was half consumed and the branches of the tree beyond the window were silvered with moonlight. The bottle on the table was still two-thirds full; could they mean to husband it until the next day?

It was Tony who brought the situation to an end.

"Fer de love o' Mike pass us de bottle! Hear dem crickets an' t'ings out dere? Chee, but I'm lonesome fer T'oid Av'noo!"

Pete drank copiously and handed the bottle to his confederate.

"I told you I wasn't crazy about this job," he remarked gloomily. "I wonder what the idea is anyway in holding these guys here for a week?"

Odell wondered also and listened intently for the reply.

"Ter give somebody time ter make a getaway, I guess," Tony answered carelessly.

"Well, suppose they make it, Sims and the guy that was here this morning, and after the week is up we find ourselves planted here with the two dicks on our hands and minus the rest of the kale that was promised?" Pete reached for the bottle and held it once more to his lips. "Say, when did that guy say he'd be out again?"