ght suspect something."

"That's so," said Julius.

"Suppose they heard that I would remain in the house, what would they
do to prevent it?"

"They might get you took up on a false charge and put in the
station-house over night, or maybe they'd seize you if they got a
chance and lock you up somewhere."

"How could they have heard that Mr. Talbot left any valuables in the
house?"

Julius shook his head. On that point he could give no information.

"You may tell them," said Paul, after a moment's thought, "that I
have an aunt, Mrs. Green, living in Brooklyn."

"Whereabouts in Brooklyn?"

"No. 116 Third avenue," said Paul, at a venture. "Can you remember?"

"Yes."

"They will probably send a message from her late Monday evening for me
to go over there."

"Will you go?"

"I will leave the house, for they will probably be watching; but I
shall not go far, and I shall leave the house well guarded."

Julius nodded.

"I'll tell 'em," he said.

He was about to go, when Paul called him back.

"Won't you get yourself into trouble?" he said. "I should not want to
have any harm come to you."

"They won't know I'm in the game," answered Julius.

"Will you come to-morrow and let me know what they say?"

"Yes."

Julius crossed Broadway and turned into Fulton street, leaving Paul
full of thought. He felt what a great advantage it was to be
forewarned of the impending danger, since being forewarned was
forearmed, as with the help of the police he could prepare for his
burglarious visitors. He saw that the money he had paid for a dinner
for a hungry boy was likely to prove an excellent investment, and he
determined that this should not be the last favor Julius received from
him.

Meanwhile Julius returned to business. With the help of his blacking
materials he succeeded in earning a dollar before the close of the
day. Unluckily, half of this was to be given to the young capitalist
who had supplied him with a box and brush; but still fifty cents was
more than he would probably have earned if he had been compelled to
depend upon chance jobs. At six o'clock he met his young employer and
handed over fifty cents, which the other pocketed with much
satisfaction.

"Do you want to take the box ag'in to-morrow?" he asked.

"Yes," said Julius.

"All right. You can keep it then. You can take it home with you and
bring me the stamps to-morrow night at this same hour."

So the contract was continued, and Julius, hav