d her stepmother passionately.

They all looked round at her, surprised.

"Come, come, Ellen!" said Bunting reprovingly.

"Well, it is a horrible idea!" said his wife sullenly. "To go and
sell a fellow-being for five hundred pounds."

But Daisy was offended. "Of course I'd like to see it!" she cried
defiantly. "I never said nothing about the reward. That was Mr.
Chandler said that! I only said I'd like to see the knife."

Chandler looked at her soothingly. "Well, the day may come when
you will see it," he said slowly.

A great idea had come into his mind.

"No! What makes you think that?"

"If they catches him, and if you comes along with me to see our
Black Museum at the Yard, you'll certainly see the knife, Miss Daisy.
They keeps all them kind of things there. So if, as I say, this
weapon should lead to the conviction of The Avenger--well, then,
that knife 'ull be there, and you'll see it!"

"The Black Museum? Why, whatever do they have a museum in your
place for?" asked Daisy wonderingly. "I thought there was only the
British Museum--"

And then even Mrs. Bunting, as well as Bunting and Chandler,
laughed aloud.

"You are a goosey girl!" said her father fondly. "Why, there's a
lot of museums in London; the town's thick with 'em. Ask Ellen
there. She and me used to go to them kind of places when we was
courting--if the weather was bad."

"But our museum's the one that would interest Miss Daisy," broke in
Chandler eagerly. "It's a regular Chamber of 'Orrors!"

"Why, Joe, you never told us about that place before," said Bunting
excitedly. "D'you really mean that there's a museum where they
keeps all sorts of things connected with crimes? Things like knives
murders have been committed with?"

"Knives?" cried Joe, pleased at having become the centre of
attention, for Daisy had also fixed her blue eyes on him, and even
Mrs. Bunting looked at him expectantly. "Much more than knives, Mr.
Bunting! Why, they've got there, in little bottles, the real poison
what people have been done away with."

"And can you go there whenever you like?" asked Daisy wonderingly.
She had not realised before what extraordinary and agreeable
privileges are attached to the position of a detective member of
the London Police Force.

"Well, I suppose I could--" Joe smiled. "Anyway I can certainly
get leave to take a friend there." He looked meaningly at Daisy,
and Daisy looked eagerly at him.

But would Ellen ever let her go ou