"Yes; that sounds all right, but it's a wonder I got them. I only just
had time to stuff them into my pocket when he came, and then--"

"He came! Who came?" cried James Brandon.

"Tom; and a pretty fight I had for it before I could get away."

"Then he caught you steal--caught you seeking for those papers?" cried
James Brandon wildly.

"Of course he did; I told you so."

"Then it's all over. He has told your uncle by this time."

"Not he. How could he know? Didn't I tell you it was dark as pitch?"

"What? Then you think he does not know who it was?" cried James
Brandon, with the air of a man catching at a straw to save himself.

"Sure of it," said Sam coolly, as he opened one of the papers and began
reading--"`Instructions for grinding and polishing specula.'"

He opened another.

"`The various modes of mounting telescopes.'"

Throwing this down, he took up a third paper, and read--

"`Elutriation as applied to Emery and other Powders.'"

Lastly he took up the fourth, and read half to himself--

"`The method practised by Monsieur Foucault in silvering the surfaces of
glass specula.' I seem to have dipped into the wrong drawer, dad," he
said coolly.

James Brandon groaned.

"I made so sure that I had got the right things. They do look like
legal papers, don't they?"

Sam's father made no reply, but began walking up and down the room.

"What does he mean by tying up his stupid recipes like that!" said Sam
angrily.

"Exposed yourself to all that risk, and for nothing," cried James
Brandon.

"Don't say `yourself,' dad," cried Sam softly. "It was your doing; you
sent me."

James Brandon was silent for a time.

"You are sure he did not know you?" he said at last.

"Of course I am. Don't I tell you it was dark as pitch?"

"Then how do you know it was Tom who came?"

"Who else was likely to come?"

"Of course--of course," murmured James Brandon; "who indeed?"

"Besides, that other chap was outside, and helped me with the ladder."

James Brandon gave quite a jump.

"That other chap?" he cried. "You don't mean to say any one else saw
you?"

"Yes, a fellow I saw when I was down there before; he came and caught me
trying to get in."

James Brandon threw out his hands, and walked up and down his son's
bedroom gesticulating.

"It's all over," he cried wildly; "it's all over. I'm a ruined man. My
position as a solicitor gone; my character destroyed; the money I had
saved swept a