aying about his breast; and as he uttered these words he too
sank into a chair, and the ray of light struck across his face for a
brief space, one, though, sufficiently long for Chester to recognise the
features of the quaint old bookworm upon whom he had called during his
search for the house which had been the scene of such strange
adventures.

"Uncle!" he thought to himself, as the old man went on--

"It seems to me that we have nothing to fear. It is our own secret.
What do you say, Dennis, my dear boy?"

"It looks all right, curse it!" said the young man, slowly. "I can't
see how anyone can find it out. All we have to do is to go on as we
have before--take care that everything is kept dark. What do you think,
Rob, old man?"

"Think?" cried the latter, sharply; and as he spoke Chester felt a
quiver of excitement run through her whom he clasped. "I think it is
impossible to keep such a thing as this is quiet. Say what you like--
that it was in your own defence you fired, there are the men's pistols
to prove it lying with their burgling tools; say that they were
surprised in the act--the marks on the iron door and their false keys
will speak for that--but we can't go on with it in the way you propose;
the police must be called in."

"You cursed fool!" snarled James Clareborough. "Bah! you always were an
idiot and a hindrance to our enterprise. You could spend your share
readily enough, but you were always like a log to drag at our heels."

"My dear boy!" cried the old professor, quickly, "hush, please; there
must be no quarrelling now; we have too much at stake."

"Yes, hang it all, Jem! do keep that vitriol tongue of yours quiet,"
cried Dennis.

"Who is to keep quiet when he listens to such idiotic drivel? Bring the
police in--set their detectives to examine the iron safe that they were
trying to force--to look at the jewels and plate stored up inside.
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" he laughed discordantly. "Has Rob any brains at all?"

"Yes, yes; he spoke without thinking," said the old man, eagerly. "Rob,
my dear lad, you see it is impossible."

"Yes, Rob, old man, don't you see?" growled Dennis. "You can't say to
the hounds of the law, `You must stop your scent here.' Why, it would,
as they say, be blowing the whole gaff."

"Well, let it," cried Robert, bitterly; "let them find it out. I'm sick
of it all, and have been for years."

"Then you must get well again," said James Clareborough, fiercely.