to get possession of
it? She is going to send it to Stemples's by Josh., so you might get him
drunk and then gain possession of it."

"Leave that to me. I think I can work it all right," said Rivers, as
they separated, no one being aware of their interview.

Rivers went to Stemples's, and calling up every one in the bar-room,
asked them to have a drink. Barclay and Horton were there, and as they
swallowed their liquor, looked at each other and winked. Horton
whispered: "Rivers is a little 'sprung' to-day."

"D----d tight, in my opinion," replied Barclay.

In a few moments Josh. came in, and in a very important tone asked for
Stemples.

"Stemple sout! Hellow, Josh., that you?" said Rivers, slapping him on
the shoulder. "I've taken a leetle too much bitters to-day, but I'm
bound to have another horn before I go home. Come and have something?"

"Where is Stemples?" reiterated Cox.

"Oh, he's up stairs. Come and have a drink?"

Josh. willingly assented, and with Barclay and Horton they went up to
the bar. Rivers seized the whisky-bottle as the barkeeper handed it
down, and filled his glass to the brim. Josh., Horton, and Barclay took
moderate quantities of the liquor. "Drink hearty, boys," said Rivers, "I
am going to have a good horn to go to bed on."

Josh. looked closely at him, and then turned and winked knowingly to
Barclay and Horton. The moment he turned, Rivers changed glasses with
him, emptied out nearly all the liquor that Cox had put into his glass,
and filled it with water.

"Here, boys, drink hearty! Ain't you going to drink up?"

Thus admonished, all four raised their glasses and drained them at a
draft. Josh. swallowed down the brimming glass of pure whisky without a
wink, and it must be admitted that, to his credit as a toper, he never
noticed the difference. They had two or three drinks on about the same
basis before Stemples came down.

Josh. was standing with the letter in his hand ready to give it to him
when he came in. When Stemples came in Rivers snatched the letter from
Josh.'s hand and said:

"Here, Stemples, is a letter for you!" and handed it to him.

Cox was in a condition not to mind trifles, and scarcely knew whether he
did or did not give the letter to Stemples. So long as he had it, that
was all he wanted.

Rivers, quick as a flash, had read the direction on the letter: "Nathan
Maroney, Eldridge Street Jail, New York."

Stemples took the letter and placed it carelessly in