rass
buttons.

Dan Fernald, believing that a detective who knew his business would not
make a single movement without a certain attendant mystery, had decided
it was not safe for him to leave New York in the daytime, and therefore
Plums's time of waiting was exceedingly long.

Not until eight o'clock did Dan appear; and then, instead of answering
his friend's hail, he marched gravely out through the gate, crossed the
street, and, during several seconds, stood peering first to the right
and then the left, while from the opposite side Plums looked at him in
bewilderment.

Master Plummer had spoken to his friend, but received no reply; had
followed a certain distance without being apparently recognised, and
stopped in bewilderment when Dan indulged in these curious antics.

Finally the fat boy grew impatient, and, crossing the street, asked,
sharply:

"What's the matter with you, anyhow, Dan?"

Master Fernald glanced at his friend only sufficiently long to wink in a
most mysterious fashion, and then, turning quickly around, marched
gravely up the street without speaking.

Plums watched in anxiety until, seeing his friend dart into a doorway,
it suddenly dawned upon him that Dan was desirous of avoiding a too
public interview.

Then Plums hastened after him, muttering to himself:

"That feller thinks he's awful smart, scrimpin' an' scrapin' 'round here
as if there was a dozen perlicemen right on his track. If he'd go on
about his business nobody'd notice him; but when he's kitin' 'round in
this fashion folks are bound to wonder what's the matter."

On arriving at the doorway, he looked in, but without seeing any one,
because of the gloom.

Thinking he had made a mistake, Plums would have hurried on, but for a
hoarse whisper which came from out the darkness.

"Come in here, quick! Don't stand there where everybody'll tumble to who
you are."

Plums obeyed immediately, as was his custom when any one spoke harshly,
and Dan seized him by the arm.

"Keep quiet, now, whatever you do, 'cause I wouldn't be s'prised if
more'n a dozen cops followed me over on the boat."

"I didn't see any," Plums replied, in astonishment.

"That's 'cause you didn't keep your eye peeled. Of course they wouldn't
try to get on my track while they was dressed in uniform. I saw one I
felt certain about; he was disguised like a truckman, an' drivin' a
team, but he couldn't fool me."

"Do they know where Joe an' I are?"

"I don't thi