paying a cent, and it is the best one in New
York."

"Can you?" said Herbert, with surprise. "I wish I could go in free."

"I can fix that for you all right," said Peter, magnanimously. "I often
take a friend in with me."

"And it doesn't cost you anything?"

"No, not a cent. If you like, we will stroll down the Bowery, and drop
in for a little while. By the way, I remember now that a new curiosity,
a three headed woman, is on exhibition there."

"A three headed woman!" exclaimed Herbert; "she must be a wonderful
sight!"

"So she is. Come on, let's go and see her. It is not down very far. You
have nothing to do, I suppose?"

"No, only to pass the time away for an hour or so."

"Very well, then, you can't pass it in any more agreeable way than this,
I am sure."

"You are very kind," replied Herbert, as they moved off in the direction
of the supposed museum. He had no thought of danger, as he walked along
with his new friend, happy in anticipation of the pleasure before him.
Could he, however, have realized that he was the victim of a shrewd
confidence game, that every step he now took was bringing him nearer
to the trap that had been set for him by cruel, unscrupulous villains,
how his whole being would have revolted against the presence of the
unprincipled fellow beside him, who was now coolly leading him on to his
ruin.

Presently they turned up a side street, and soon stopped before a low,
ugly building.

[Illustration: A SURPRISE FOR FELIX MORTIMER.]

"The museum is on the next street," remarked young Smartweed, as he rang
the bell three times. "We have to walk through this court, to reach it
by the back passage."

Still Herbert's suspicions slumbered.

And now the catch to the door was pulled back, and our unfortunate hero
and his companion passed in. The hallway was ominously dark. They groped
their way forward till a second door was reached, and here the leader
knocked three times, then paused for a moment and knocked once more.
After a brief interval three more knocks precisely like the first were
given, and then the door opened.

The two stepped quickly into the room, and Herbert's arms were instantly
seized by some one from behind the door, and drawn backward by an effort
to fasten the wrists together behind him. Quicker than thought, young
Randolph wrested his arms from the grip that was upon them, and, turning
like a flash, planted a solid blow upon the jaw of his assailant--a blow
which