ene," said Brassey; "now, you go round to the back and use your
key quietly. Give 'im the bit o' meat quick. He won't give tongue
arter 'e smells it, and one or two barks won't alarm the 'ouse. So, get
along, Slogger. W'en you've got him snug, with a rope round 'is neck
an' 'is head in the flannel bag, just caterwaul an' I'll come round.
Bless the cats! they're a great help to gentlemen in our procession."

Thus admonished, the Slogger chuckled and melted into the darkness,
while Brassey mingled himself with the shadow of a pillar.

The key--lost by the care-taker and found by the burglar--fitted into
the empty lock even more perfectly than that which Mrs McTougall had
conveyed to her mantelpiece some hours before. It was well oiled too,
and went round in the wards of the lock without giving a chirp, so that
the bolt flew back with one solitary shot. The report, however, was
loud. It caused Dumps to return from Dogland and raise his head with a
decided growl.

Nobody heard the growl except the Slogger, who stood perfectly still for
nearly a minute, with his hand on the door-handle. Then he opened the
door slowly and softly--so slowly and softly that an alarm-bell attached
to it did not ring.

A sharp bow! wow! wow! however, greeted him as he entered, but he was
prompt. A small piece of meat fell directly under the nose of Dumps, as
he stood bristling in front of his box; and, let me add, when Dumps
bristled it was a sight to behold!

"Good dog--good do-o-og," said the Slogger, in his softest and most
insinuating tone.

Dumps reduced his bark to a growl.

The footman heard both bark and growl, but, attributing them to the
influence of cats, turned on his other side and listened--not for
burglars, innocent man, but for the tube.

It was silent! Evidently "tired nature" was, in Mrs McTougall's case,
lulled by the "sweet restorer." Forthwith John betook himself again to
the land of Nod.

"Have another bit?" said the Slogger in quite a friendly way, after the
first bit had been devoured.

My too trusting favourite wagged his tail and innocently accepted the
bribe.

It was good cat's meat. Dumps liked it. The enormous supper with which
he had lain down was by that time nearly assimilated, and appetite had
begun to revive. Going down on his knee the young burglar held out a
third morsel of temptation in his hand. Dumps meekly advanced and took
the meat. It was a sad illustration of the ease with w