ypocrisy pained them.
"Read it in th' paper or something!"

"By Jove! I remember now. He's the chappie who was arrested in that
bond business. For goodness' sake, my dear, merry old constables," said
Archie, astounded, "you surely aren't labouring under the impression
that I'm the Master-Mind they were talking about in the paper? Why, what
an absolutely priceless notion! I mean to say, I ask you, what! Frankly,
laddies, do I look like a Master-Mind?"

Officer Cassidy heaved a deep sigh, which rumbled up from his interior
like the first muttering of a cyclone.

"If I'd known," he said, regretfully, "that this guy was going to turn
out a ruddy Englishman, I'd have taken a slap at him with m' stick and
chanced it!"

Officer Donahue considered the point well taken.

"Ah!" he said, understandingly. He regarded Archie with an unfriendly
eye. "I know th' sort well! Trampling on th' face av th' poor!"

"Ya c'n trample on the poor man's face," said Officer Cassidy, severely;
"but don't be surprised if one day he bites you in the leg!"

"But, my dear old sir," protested Archie, "I've never trampled--"

"One of these days," said Officer Donahue, moodily, "the Shannon will
flow in blood to the sea!"

"Absolutely! But--"

Officer Cassidy uttered a glad cry.

"Why couldn't we hit him a lick," he suggested, brightly, "an' tell th'
Cap. he resisted us in th' exercise of our jooty?"

An instant gleam of approval and enthusiasm came into Officer Donahue's
eyes. Officer Donahue was not a man who got these luminous inspirations
himself, but that did not prevent him appreciating them in others and
bestowing commendation in the right quarter. There was nothing petty or
grudging about Officer Donahue.

"Ye're the lad with the head, Tim!" he exclaimed admiringly.

"It just sorta came to me," said Mr. Cassidy, modestly.

"It's a great idea, Timmy!"

"Just happened to think of it," said Mr. Cassidy, with a coy gesture of
self-effacement.

Archie had listened to the dialogue with growing uneasiness. Not for the
first time since he had made their acquaintance, he became vividly aware
of the exceptional physical gifts of these two men. The New York police
force demands from those who would join its ranks an extremely high
standard of stature and sinew, but it was obvious that jolly old Donahue
and Cassidy must have passed in first shot without any difficulty
whatever.

"I say, you know," he observed, apprehensively.

And th