try to lie I
shall know it."

Jet, confused and bewildered by the strange position in which he found
himself, did as he was bidden.

Just for an instant he believed it would be only just toward the man
who had hired him, to repeat what he had been told to say, but then
came the thought that he was virtually under arrest and the truth
should be spoken at every hazard.

"Can you describe these men?" the inspector asked, when his short story
was told.

Jet did his best, not omitting to say that the hair of one and the
whiskers of another looked suspiciously false.

"Would you know them again?"

"I'm certain of it. The tall man I could spot even if the whiskers
were taken off."

At this point the officer who had been sent to learn the truth of Jet's
statement regarding himself, returned, nodded his head in a significant
manner, and immediately disappeared through another doorway.

Over and over again did the inspector insist on Jet's telling the story
of his morning's work, and when fully an hour had been spent in this
manner he said decidedly more kindly than before:

"I believe you have spoken the truth, but you will be an important
witness in a very serious case, and I suppose it is my duty to send you
to the House of Detention."

"Does that mean I'm goin' to be locked up?" Jet asked in alarm.

"You will be deprived of your liberty, but it is very different from
going to jail."

"Don't do that! Please don't do that! I've just got a job where I can
earn a good deal of money, and it'll knock me out of it. Besides," Jet
added as a lucky thought occurred to him, "if I keep on about my
business I may see them fellers again."

"You advance a very good argument, and, in fact, I am depending on you
to do that same thing, but how shall I know that you won't give us the
slip?"

"I'll stay right at the office, except when I'm out with a message, an'
come here every night if you say the word."

"Do you know of any one who would go bail for your appearance when
wanted?"

"Mammy Showers would tell you that I'll act square up to what I say."

The inspector did not reply for several seconds, and then it was to say:

"I'll take your word for it, my boy. You are to report to me, or one
of the officers here, every twenty-four hours, and, in the meanwhile,
if you get a glimpse of either of those men, follow him until word can
be sent to me; but do not speak of this matter to any one."

It was evident that this