ust
be kept up all night, and in the mornin' he'd make his fust move. So
said, so done.

"And afore breakfast that next mornin' we called everybody into the
dinin' room, boarders, help, stable hands, every last one. And Peter
made a little speech. He said that a very valuable paper had been taken
out of Mr. Robinson's room, and 'twas plain that it must be on the
premises somewhere. 'Course, nobody was suspicioned, but, speakin'
for himself, he'd feel better if his clothes and his room was searched
through. How'd the rest feel about it?

"Well, they felt diff'rent ways, but Parker spoke up like a brick, and
said he wouldn't rest easy till HIS belongin's was pawed over, and then
the rest fell in line. We went through everybody and every room on the
place. Found nothin', of course. Snow--the detective--said he didn't
expect to. But I tell you there was some talkin' goin' on, just the
same. The minister, he hinted that he had some doubts about them
dissipated gunners; and the gunners cal'lated they never see a parson
yet wouldn't bear watchin'. As for me, I felt like a pickpocket, and,
judgin' from Jonadab's face, he felt the same.

"The detective man swooped around quiet, bobbin' up in unexpected
places, like a porpoise, and askin' questions once in a while. He asked
about most everybody, but about Willie, especial. I judged Peter T. had
dropped a hint to him and to Gabe. Anyhow, the old critter give out
that he wouldn't trust a poet with the silver handles on his grandmarm's
coffin. As for Grace, she acted dreadful nervous and worried. Once I
caught her swabbin' her eyes, as if she'd been cryin'; but I'd never
seen her and Willie together but the one time I told you of.

"Four days and nights crawled by. No symptoms yet. The Pinkertons was
watchin' the Gordon lawyers' office in New York, and they reported
that nothin' like that agreement had reached there. And our own
man--Snow--said he'd go bail it hadn't been smuggled off the premises
sense HE struck port. So 'twas safe so far; but where was it, and who
had it?

"The final football game, the one with Wapatomac, was to be played over
on their grounds on the afternoon of the fifth day. Parker, cap'n of the
eleven, give out that, considerin' everything, he didn't know but we'd
better call it off. Old Robinson--Sterzer, of course--wouldn't hear of
it.

"'Not much,' says he. 'I wouldn't chance your losin' that game for forty
papers. You sail in and lick 'em!' or word