suppose," said Jack, with a pang, "that she is so taken up with her
new friends that she has nearly forgotten her old friends in New York."

"If she did," said Peg, sustaining her part with admirable
self-possession, "she would not deserve to have friends at all. She is
quite happy here, but she will be very glad to return to New York to
those who have been so kind to her."

"Really," thought Jack; "I don't know what to make of this Mrs.
Hardwick. She talks fair enough, if her looks are against her. Perhaps I
have misjudged her, after all."

CHAPTER XIX. CAUGHT IN A TRAP.

JACK and his guide paused in front of a three-story brick building of
respectable appearance.

"Does Ida's mother live here?" interrogated Jack.

"Yes," said Peg, coolly. "Follow me up the steps."

The woman led the way, and Jack followed.

The former rang the bell. An untidy servant girl made her appearance.

"We will go up-stairs, Bridget," said Peg.

Without betraying any astonishment, the servant conducted them to an
upper room, and opened the door.

"If you will go in and take a seat," said Peg, "I will send Ida to you
immediately."

She closed the door after him, and very softly slipped the bolt which
had been placed on the outside. She then hastened downstairs, and
finding the proprietor of the house, who was a little old man with a
shrewd, twinkling eye, and a long aquiline nose, she said to this man,
who was a leading spirit among the coiners into whose employ she and her
husband had entered, "I want you to keep this lad in confinement, until
I give you notice that it will be safe to let him go."

"What has he done?" asked the old man.

"He is acquainted with a secret dangerous to both of us," answered Peg,
with intentional prevarication; for she knew that, if it were supposed
that she only had an interest in Jack's detention, they would not take
the trouble to keep him.

"Ha!" exclaimed the old man; "is that so? Then, I warrant me, he can't
get out unless he has sharp claws."

"Fairly trapped, my young bird," thought Peg, as she hastened away; "I
rather think that will put a stop to your troublesome interference for
the present. You haven't lived quite long enough to be a match for old
Peg. You'll find that out by and by. Ha, ha! won't your worthy uncle,
the baker, be puzzled to know why you don't come home to-night?"

Meanwhile Jack, wholly unsuspicious that any trick had been played upon
him, seated himself in