decided that one dollar would repay her for the labour.

"Tell your grandmother we'll make the trade," Joe said, quickly,
delighted because the sum named was so much less than he expected. "I'll
be back here in two days at the longest, an' she's to take the very best
care of the little thing."

"Granny would be kind even to a mouse," Master Weber replied, with an
air of pride, and Joe added, promptly:

"I ought'er know as much by this time, an' if I didn't, the princess
wouldn't be left with her. That poor little swell hasn't got anybody to
look out for her but me, till we find her folks, an' I ain't takin'
chances of her comin' to harm. Here's the dollar, an' you tell your
granny I'll be back by the day after to-morrer if all the cops in New
York are close after me."

The little German boy looked up in perplexity, for he failed to
understand the greater portion of what Joe had said, and the latter was
in too great a hurry to heed the fact.

A shrill whistle from the outside told that detective Dan was growing
impatient, and Joe started towards the door, after seeing the old lady
take the money; but halted an instant later.

"Is there something more you want granny to do?" the German boy asked,
and Joe was at a loss for a reply.

"I was thinkin', perhaps,--if, course, it wouldn't make any difference
to your granny,--say, I'm goin' to sneak in an' kiss the princess!"

The boy nodded carelessly, but Joe made no effort to carry his threat
into execution.

Again the amateur detective whistled, and Master Potter stepped towards
the bedroom door, but halted before gaining it.

"Perhaps her folks wouldn't want a duffer like me doin' anything of that
kind," he muttered, and straightway walked out of the house as rapidly
as his legs would carry him, much as if he feared to remain longer lest
the temptation should be too great to resist.

"It begun to look as if you was goin' to stay all night," Dan said,
petulantly, when Joe appeared. "There's more'n a hundred people walked
past here, an' I'll bet some of 'em was huntin' for us; we've got to get
out of this place mighty lively, if you don't want to be chucked into
jail."

Plums looked so thoroughly terrified that Joe at once understood the
amateur detective had been frightening him by picturing improbable
dangers, and said, almost sharply:

"There's no use makin' this thing any worse than it really is."

"That can't be done, Joe Potter. You're in an awful scrap