Explanations were deferred till such time as the prisoners could be dealt with. Half a dozen stalwart constables, each armed with a shot gun, took charge of the captives who were subjected to a swift search. There was one, who as Labar had suspected, had still a pistol about him. If he had really intended to use it he had failed to find an opportunity, or his courage had failed. The gang were escorted into another room for the time and Moreland cocked an eye at Labar.
“Nice fellow you are. Call out the whole lot of us, horse, foot and artillery and then try to do the job on your little own. Where’s Larry?”
The other made a gesture towards the open mouth of the tunnel. “That’s his bolthole, but I doubt that he’s still in there. How long you folk been here?”
“Perhaps ten minutes,” said Malone. “We had to wait for some of our people.”
“Any chance of men slipping through out there?” He swept a hand vaguely to the marsh.