and a masked face bent over him.

'Where does your father keep his money?' said a muffled voice.

'In the b-b-b-b-bank,' replied the wretched Edward, truthfully.

'I mean what he's got in the house.'

'In his trousers pocket,' said Edward, 'only he puts it in the
dressing-table drawer at night.'

'You must go and get it,' said the burglar, for such he plainly was.

'Must I?' said Edward, wondering how he could get out of betraying his
father's confidence and being branded as a criminal.

'Yes,' said the burglar in an awful voice, 'get up and go.'

'_No_,' said Edward, and he was as much surprised at his courage as you
are.

'Bravo!' said the burglar, flinging off his mask. 'I see you _aren't_
such a white rabbit as what I thought you.'

'It's Gustus,' said Edward. 'Oh, Gustus, I'm so glad! Oh, Gustus, I'm so
sorry! I always hoped you wouldn't be a burglar. And now you are.'

'I am so,' said Gustus, with pride, 'but,' he added sadly, 'this is my
first burglary.'

'Couldn't it be the last?' suggested Edward.

'That,' replied Gustus, 'depends on you.'

'I'll do anything,' said Edward, 'anything.'

'You see,' said Gustus, sitting down on the edge of the bed in a
confidential attitude, with the dark lantern in one hand and the mask in
the other, 'when you're as hard up as we are, there's not much of a
living to be made honest. I'm sure I wonder we don't all of us turn
burglars, so I do. And that glass of yours--you little beggar--you did
me proper--sticking of that thing in my pocket like what you did. Well,
it kept us alive last winter, that's a cert. I used to look at the
victuals with it, like what I said I would. A farden's worth o'
pease-pudden was a dinner for three when that glass was about, and a
penn'orth o' scraps turned into a big beef-steak almost. They used to
wonder how I got so much for the money. But I'm always afraid o' being
found out--or of losing the blessed spy-glass--or of some one pinching
it. So we got to do what I always said--make some use of it. And if I go
along and nick your father's dibs we'll make our fortunes right away.'

'No,' said Edward, 'but I'll ask father.'

'Rot.' Gustus was crisp and contemptuous. 'He'd think you was off your
chump, and he'd get me lagged.'

'It would be stealing,' said Edward.

'Not when you'll pay it back.'

'Yes, it would,' said Edward. 'Oh, don't ask me--I can't.'

'Then I shall,' said Gustus. 'Where's his room.'

'Oh, don't!' said Edwar