It struck
him that he had seen it before. He soon remembered. Surely it was the
one that he had seen purchased in Chatham street the same afternoon.
Coats in general are not easily distinguishable, but he had noticed a
small round spot on the lapel of that, and the same reappeared on the
coat which Julius brought home.

CHAPTER XV.

SUSPICION.

Julius had been about the streets all day, and felt tired. He threw
himself down in the corner, and was soon asleep. Marlowe and Jack
kept on with their game, the latter wholly unconscious of the thoughts
that were passing through the mind of his companion.

Finally Marlowe, at the conclusion of a game, said: "I won't play any
more to-night, Jack."

"Tired, eh?"

"Tired of playing, but I've got something to say to you."

"Out with it," said Morgan, tilting his chair back against the wall.

"Wait a minute."

Saying this, Marlowe rose from his seat, and advancing to the corner,
leaned over the sleeping boy, and listened intently to his deep
regular breathing.

"What's up?" asked Morgan, surprised.

"I wanted to make sure that the boy was asleep," answered Marlowe.

"Why? Don't you want him to hear?"

"No, I don't; for what I have to say is about him."

"Go ahead."

"I mistrust that he's going to sell us, Jack."

"What!" exclaimed Morgan.

"Don't speak so loud. You might wake him."

As he spoke, Marlowe came back and resumed his seat, bending over and
speaking to Jack in a low tone.

"What have you got into your head, Marlowe?" said Jack incredulously.
"Julius sell us! Impossible!"

"Why impossible?"

"He'd never think of such a thing. What put it into your head?"

"I'll tell you. Do you see that coat he brought home?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"The boy--Paul Hoffman--gave it to him. I saw him buy it this
afternoon in a secondhand store in Chatham street."

"Are you sure the coat is the same?"

"Yes; I know it by a spot I noticed at the time. Now, what should he
take the trouble to buy a coat for unless the boy had done him some
service? It's different from giving him an old coat he had thrown
aside."

"That's so," said Jack thoughtfully. "Perhaps he's took a fancy to
Julius."

"Perhaps he has," repeated Marlowe incredulously. "You know he ain't
rich enough to buy coats to give away."

"I can't think the boy would betray us," said Jack slowly.

"Perhaps he wouldn't; I ain't sure; but we must guard against it."

"How?"

"We must attack the