hing can be done, an' you've got to
give up sleepin' in houses. It might work once or twice; but you'd be
sure to run across somebody what had read the papers, an' then you'd
find yourself an' the princess in jail mighty quick. The evenin' papers
said a large reward would be paid, an' perhaps, by mornin', they'll
raise the price to as much as ten dollars."

It can well be understood how disturbed in mind Joe was at learning that
his enemies were so eager to capture him; but yet he had no intention of
abandoning the princess, until Plums made a suggestion which seemed like
an exceedingly happy one.

"Why not pay old Mis' Weber somethin' to take care of her for two or
three days?" he asked. "The little thing would get along a good deal
better with a woman, an' we can sneak back here once in awhile to make
certain she's all right. I don't believe them lawyers will spend very
much more money huntin' for us, 'cause we ain't worth it, no matter what
we've done."

"That's the very best snap you could fix up!" Dan cried, approvingly.
"I'd been thinkin' of somethin' like that myself; but didn't have time
to tell you about it. I've got more'n two dollars that I borrowed to
help you fellers through with this scrape, an' that ought'er be a good
deal more'n enough to keep her till we can earn more."

Joe understood that it would be to the princess's advantage if he left
her with the kind old German lady, and at once decided in favour of the
plan.

Never for a moment did he fancy they might be as safe in this house as
anywhere else, but firmly believed a continuation of the flight was
absolutely necessary, as Dan had announced.

"I'll see what Mis' Weber says about it, an' if she's willin', we'll go
right away."

"Don't stay in there all night chinnin', 'cause it's mighty dangerous
for us to be hangin' 'round here," Dan called after him as he entered
the dwelling, and Joe hastened the matter as much as possible.

The princess was in bed sleeping quietly, and looking, as Plums
expressed it, "fit to eat." Mrs. Weber's grandson was ready to act as
interpreter, and in a few moments Joe had made the proposition.

The good woman asked no questions concerning the parents of the child it
was proposed she should keep, and her silence on this point may have
been due to the fact that, even with her grandson's aid, it was
difficult to understand all the boys said.

She was willing to take the princess for a week, but not longer, and