machines.

"What did I tell you?" cried the Englishman with triumph in his tones.
"They are the guilty ones. They are afraid to open their valise."

"We are, but not because it has bombs in it," said Mark. "It has parts
of an unpatented machine and the owner does not want any one to see
them," for Mark remembered Mr. Henderson's strict injunctions to let no
one but the mechanist to whom they had gone catch a glimpse of the
parts that were to be duplicated. The machinist was sworn to secrecy.

"It's none of our affair," said the sergeant, though he seemed a little
impressed by the Englishman's words and the reluctance Mark and Jack
showed to letting the valise be opened. "The boys will be here until
morning, and then you can see the judge. Now you'll have to get out. You
boys get to bed."

Muttering threats, the stranger went from the station house, and Mark
and Jack, in response to a nod from the doorman, followed him upstairs
to a part of the police station used to detain witnesses. They were
shown to a small room with a single bed.

"Are ye really anarchists?" asked the doorman.

"Not a bit," replied Jack, and he told as much of their story as he
dared.

"I was kind-of hopin' ye was," said the officer with a twinkle in his
eye. "It wouldn't do any harm to scare that uppish Englishman a bit.
Sure he an' his kind have done enough to poor old Ireland."

"I'm sorry we can't oblige you," said Mark with a laugh.

"I guess ye're all right," went on the doorman. "I hope ye sleep good
the rest of the night."

Then he left them alone. What with the excitement of the fire and the
startling accusation against them, the boys' brains were too excited to
let them sleep much. They had a few fitful naps throughout the remainder
of the night.

It was just getting daylight when Mark was awakened by some one shaking
him.

"What is it?" he asked. "Another fire?"

"Not this time," replied a voice, and Mark, now that his eyes were fully
opened, saw the doorman bending over him.

"What's the matter?" asked Jack waking up in his turn.

"Easy!" exclaimed the doorman in a whisper. "I happened to think ye
might want to be leavin'."

"Leaving?" asked Mark in bewilderment.

"Yes. Ye know that Englishman is liable to be back any minute, an' he
may make trouble for ye. I know ye're innocent lads, an' I'd hate to see
ye mixed up in a mess with that fellow. So I slips up here early, an' ye
can leave by the back door if ye want to