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such matters； Bunny。 I ask you； was there ever a better get…out？ Last night's was something like it； only never such a certainty。 And I saw it from the beginningsaw to the end before I had finished my soup！
〃To increase my chances； the cashier； who also lived in the bank； was away over the holidays； had actually gone down to Melbourne to see us play； and the man who had taken my horse also waited at table； for he and his wife were the only servants； and they slept in a separate building。 You may depend I ascertained this before we had finished dinner。 Indeed I was by way of asking too many questions （the most oblique and delicate was that which elicited my host's name； Ewbank）； nor was I careful enough to conceal their drift。
〃'Do you know；' said this fellow Ewbank； who was one of the downright sort； 'if it wasn't you； I should say you were in a funk of robbers？ Have you lost your nerve？'
〃'I hope not；' said I； turning jolly hot； I can tell you； 'butwell； it is not a pleasant thing to have to put a bullet through a fellow！'
〃'No？' said he； coolly。 'I should enjoy nothing better； myself； besides； yours didn't go through。'
〃'I wish it had！' I was smart enough to cry。
〃'Amen！' said he。
〃And I emptied my glass； actually I did not know whether my wounded bank…robber was in prison； dead； or at large！
〃But； now that I had had more than enough of it； Ewbank would come back to the subject。 He admitted that the staff was small； but as for himself； he had a loaded revolver under his pillow all night； under the counter all day； and he was only waiting for his chance。
〃'Under the counter eh？' I was ass enough to say。
〃'Yes； so had you！'
〃He was looking at me in surprise； and something told me that to say 'of courseI had forgotten！' would have been quite fatal； considering what I was supposed to have done。 So I looked down my nose and shook my head。
〃'But the papers said you had！' he cried。
〃'Not under the counter；〃 said I。
〃'But it's the regulation！'
〃For the moment； Bunny； I felt stumped； though I trust I only looked more superior than before； and I think I justified my look。
〃'The regulation！' I said at length； in the most offensive tone at my command。 'Yes； the regulation would have us all dead men！ My dear sir； do you expect your bank robber to let you reach for your gun in the place where he knows it's kept？ I had mine in my pocket； and I got my chance by retreating from the counter with all visible reluctance。'
〃Ewbank stared at me with open eyes and a five…barred forehead； then down came his fist on the table。
〃'By God！ That was smart！ Still；' he added； like a man who would not be in the wrong； 'the papers said the other thing； you know！'
〃'Of course；' I rejoined； 'because they said what I told them。 You wouldn't have had me advertise the fact that I improved upon the bank's regulations； would you？'
〃So that cloud rolled over； and by Jove it was a cloud with a golden lining。 Not silverreal good Australian gold！ For old Ewbank hadn't quite appreciated me till then； he was a hard nut； a much older man than myself； and I felt pretty sure he thought me young for the place； and my supposed feat a fluke。 But I never saw a man change his mind more openly。 He got out his best brandy； he made me throw away the cigar I was smoking； and opened a fresh box。 He was a convivial…looking party； with a red moustache； and a very humorous face （not unlike Tom Emmett's）； and from that moment I laid myself out to attack him on his convivial flank。 But he wasn't a Rosenthall； Bunny； he had a treble…seamed； hand…sewn head； and could have drunk me under the table ten times over。
〃'All right；' I thought； 'you may go to bed sober； but you'll sleep like a timber…yard！' And I threw half he gave me through the open window； when he wasn't looking。
〃But he was a good chap； Ewbank； and don't you imagine he was at all intemperate。 Convivial I called him； and I only wish he had been something more。 He did； however； become more and more genial as the evening advanced； and I had not much difficulty in getting him to show me round the bank at what was really an unearthly hour for such a proceeding。 It was when he went to fetch the revolver before turning in。 I kept him out of his bed another twenty minutes； and I knew every inch of the business premises before I shook hands with Ewbank in my room。
〃You won't guess what I did with myself for the next hour。 I undressed and went to bed。 The incessant strain involved in even the most deliberate impersonation is the most wearing thing I know； then how much more so when the impersonation is impromptu！ There's no getting your eye in； the next word may bowl you out； it's batting in a bad light all through。 I haven't told you of half the tight places I was in during a conversation that ran into hours and became dangerously intimate towards the end。 You can imagine them for yourself； and then picture me spread out on my bed； getting my second wind for the big deed of the night。
〃Once more I was in luck； for I had not been lying there long before I heard my dear Ewbank snoring like a harmonium； and the music never ceased for a moment； it was as loud as ever when I crept out and closed my door behind me； as regular as ever when I stopped to listen at his。 And I have still to hear the concert that I shall enjoy much more。 The good fellow snored me out of the bank； and was still snoring when I again stood and listened under his open window。
〃Why did I leave the bank first？ To catch and saddle the mare and tether her in a clump of trees close by： to have the means of escape nice and handy before I went to work。 I have often wondered at the instinctive wisdom of the precaution； unconsciously I was acting on what has been one of my guiding principles ever since。 Pains and patience were required： I had to get my saddle without waking the man； and I was not used to catching horses in a horse…paddock。 Then I distrusted the poor mare； and I went back to the stables for a hatful of oats； which I left with her in the clump； hat and all。 There was a dog； too； to reckon with （our very worst enemy； Bunny）； but I had been 'cute enough to make immense friends with him during the evening； and he wagged his tail； not only when I came downstairs； but when I reappeared at the back…door。
〃As the soi…disant new manager； I had been able； in the most ordinary course； to pump poor Ewbank about anything and everything connected with the working of the bank； especially in those twenty last invaluable minutes before turning in。 And I had made a very natural point of asking him where he kept； and would recommend me to keep； the keys at night。 Of course I thought he would take them with him to his room； but no such thing； he had a dodge worth two of that。 What it was doesn't much matter； but no outsider would have found those keys in a month of Sundays。
〃I； of course； had them in a few seconds； and in a few more I was in the strong…room itself。 I forgot to say that the moon had risen and was letting quite a lot of light into the bank。 I had； however； brought a bit of candle with me from my room； and in the strong…room； which was down some nar