first time in his life, forgotten to eat breakfast, and nothing could
have been more welcome in his eyes than this plentiful supply of food.

"Better pay her for it," he whispered to Joe, "an' then she'll be likely
to bring on more. I could eat all she's got there, an' not half try."

Joe did as his companion wished; but the old lady positively refused to
take the money until the boy urged her in dumb show, when, with the air
of one who complies with a request against her will, she took from
Master Potter's outstretched hand a dime.

Plums had not waited for this business to be finished before he began
the attack, and when Joe turned he saw that his comrade had assumed a
position of supreme content, with three seed-cakes in one hand, and a
large slice of ham in the other.

"You're awfully good to us, an' I wish you'd taken more money," Joe
said, as he helped himself to a small portion of the food, knowing, even
as he spoke, that his words would not be understood.

The old lady smiled, and went out of the room again, returning almost
immediately with a glass of water and more ham, much to Master Plummer's
satisfaction.

"I guess we're fixed jest about as well as we could be, an' it'll pay us
to hang on here till Dan comes over. This beats walkin' 'round the
streets."

"Perhaps she wouldn't like it if we stayed a great while," Joe
suggested.

"Well, s'posin' she shouldn't? So long's she can't talk United States
there's no chance of her turnin' us out, or tellin' where we are."

"Would you stay here when you thought she didn't want us?"

"I'd stay in most any place where we was strikin' it as rich as we are
jest now," and then Master Plummer ceased speaking, in order that he
might give more attention to this unexpected meal.

CHAPTER VI.

DAN, THE DETECTIVE.

It was sunset, and Master Plummer stood at the ferry-slip in Weehawken,
awaiting the coming of Dan, the detective.

Much against his will had the fat boy left the home of the German lady
to set out on this long tramp. He understood that it would not be safe
for Joe to come out of hiding, and, because of the arrangements made by
Dan in the morning, it was absolutely necessary some one should meet the
amateur detective at the ferry-slip.

Hence it was that Master Plummer was loitering around just outside the
gate, keeping a close watch upon all who came from the boat, and on the
alert for anything bearing the resemblance of a blue coat with b