We left Will and his companion on a shed overlooking a band of
conspirators. The long June twilight had just passed, the sky was
overcast with clouds, and it was quite dark.
Will glanced in at the narrow aperture of the window. There was less
than an inch of space left by the curtain. But this enabled him to
catch a glimpse of a table, on which burnt a lamp, and to see the faces
of the four men seated around it.
Black-eyed Joe stood back. He had just brought up some liquors.
Will could scarcely repress a chuckle of triumph. The face of the man
whom he had last seen outside was now fully displayed. There was no
doubt now, he knew him at a glance.
The face of a second looked familiar to him. The other two were
strangers. His companion, however, seemed to know them.
“Them’s gay nobs. High-toned cracksmen,” he whispered. “I know just
where to put my finger on them.”
The men were still conversing, but in low tones, and only an occasional
phrase reached the eager young ears at the window.
“Not safe now,” was the first phrase caught.
“John Elkton is in prison. He won’t blow.”
“The West is the best field. After this scent gets cold.”
The voices now sunk lower, so that the spies heard nothing for some
time.
Suddenly Will clapped his hand on his knee.
“Bet I’ve got him nailed now,” he said, in an incautious whisper.
“Who?” asked Joe.
“The black-whiskered feller. Know him like a breeze.”
The men grew still more earnest in their conversation.
“Will be in store about Thursday,” came to the ears of the boys as
their tones grew louder.
“And won’t be looked after?”
“No, they think we’re frightened off, and won’t venture to touch this
lot. I can give the cue if there’s any change in the programme.”
“We’d best touch it deep, then. We might not get another chance soon.
The secret way is all right yet?”
“Yes, not dreamed of.”
“That’s a lie,” was Will’s whispered comment. “I’ll bet a cow you’ll
find a hornet in your box.”
Their tones fell again, and nothing further came to the listeners’
ears. The conversation soon after broke up, and there were signs of
departure.
“Thursday night, then,” said one.
“No. Friday night. They might be on guard on Thursday.”
The boys slid down the shed, gained the fence, and in a moment had
dropped to the ground.
“Now, Joe, we know our men, and don’t need to follow them. Let’s
slide,” said Will.
They lost no time in putting distance between them and that dangerous
locality.
“Tell you what it is, Will,” said Joe, leaning doggedly against a
lamp-post, “there’s something up. What is it?”
“Dead burglary, Joe. These fellers have been going through a friend of
mine. They’ve laid out a plan to rob him ag’in next Friday. But I’m on
hand to sp’ile their little game.”
“Who’s been robbed?”
“Can’t tell you now. You’ll know afore long. You’ll get paid, too, for
our fun to-night. I’ll call on you soon at head-quarters in the square.
Till then, mum’s the word.”
“We’ll split then for to-night.”
Will went his way, whistling his feelings in a very gay air.
He was diligent in his store duties for the next few days, being
light-hearted in an unusual degree.
And yet he fell into bitter disgrace before the week was out.
It was Thursday. They were engaged in getting in an invoice of very
valuable goods. These were black silks of superior quality, and very
costly.
Will labored vigorously, but with the utmost good humor, at the task of
getting the cases into the store and lowering them into the basement,
where it was decided to place them for the present.
Yet he could not repress his overflowing spirits, and executed a
break-down between the lowering of one case and the receiving of
another, that excited the laughter of the men, and the indignation of
Mr. Wilson, who was passing.
“See here, boy,” he cried. “We don’t hire you for a negro minstrel or
for a ballet dancer. You’ve raised disturbance enough in the store
already. Now I want this thing stopped. I warn you now that the next
time you attempt it you will be sent about your business.”
“I’m about my bizness now,” said Will, as he lent a hand to the next
case.
“You have entirely too much impudence, boy. I will not have these pert
answers.”
“Dunno how you’re goin’ to help it. My tongue’s jist as hard to manage
as my legs.”
“You have got to manage it, then,” cried Mr. Wilson, in sudden
anger. “If not here, then somewhere else. Your insolence is getting
unbearable.”
“You didn’t hire me, and I ain’t taking no discharge from you.”
“I’ll see if you won’t,” cried Wilson.
“Now you get back to your end of the ship, and don’t be annoying a
gentleman at his work,” said Will, impatiently. “You’re worse than a
bad oyster. You’d best slide if you know when your mother’s pet is well
off.”
“Why you insolent, rascally young beggar!” Mr. Wilson could hardly
speak for rage. “That comes from taking vagrants off the street. You
shall get out of this store, or I will.”
Ten minutes after, Will received a peremptory summons to the office.
He walked back with his most independent air, entered the office, and
coolly helped himself to a chair opposite Mr. Leonard, who was seated
alone.
“I am sorry, Will, that there is such a break between you and Mr.
Wilson. I will have to support him. You must go,” said the merchant.
“What! for Gus Wilson? Not if I know myself. I wouldn’t stayed here
a week, Mr. Leonard, if you hadn’t been a straight man. You suit me
pretty well, and I ain’t taking no discharge!”
“This is nonsense, boy! You will have to go,” was the stern reply.
“I’ll bet my next year’s salary that Gus Wilson goes first!” said Will,
setting his hat rakishly on his head.
“Come, there is enough of this,” said Mr. Leonard, rising. “I will pay
you what is due you, and hope this experience may be a lesson to you in
the next place you may get.”
“Set down, Mr. Leonard,” said Will easily. “May be you’re done; but I
ain’t quite through yet.”
The merchant stood looking down at the independent boy with an air of
surprise; he had not met such a character before.
“What have you got to say?” he asked.
“Well, the first thing is, that I ain’t only goin’ to spend my days
here, but calculate to spend my nights here, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that you have got in a lot of fine goods, and that the thieves
are goin’ for them to-morrow night.”
“Mr. Fitler, the detective, don’t think so.”
“He be blowed! He’s good for straight work, but not good for a crooked
job like this. I’m goin’ to be detective, and to spend to-morrow night
in your cellar. There’s rats there that want to be smelt out. Set
down,” he continued, as the merchant looked incredulous. “It won’t be
my first night there. I’ve got something to tell you.”
Mr. Leonard’s incredulity changed to intense interest as Will proceeded
to describe his former night in the cellar, and what he had seen there.
“Can it be possible?” he cried. “Why did you not tell me this before?”
“I was waiting for it to get ripe,” said Will, quietly. “Set still; I
ain’t done yet.”
He proceeded with a description of his last evening’s adventure, and of
his recognition of the parties concerned, though declining just then to
tell who they were.
“But this is most important,” said the merchant, breathlessly. “I must
send for Mr. Fitler at once.”
“If you do, I wash my hands clean of it,” said Will. “I ain’t taking no
pards in bizness.”
“But we need his advice.”
“We don’t want none of it. I tell you what we do want. We want to keep
still tongues. If this thing is talked of, our dog’s dead. I’ll tell
you this much--there’s a traitor in the store. If there’s a whisper
gets out all our fun goes for nothing. I want to find out how them
things are got out of the cellar.”
“You are right, Will; I shall not speak of it.”
“Nor don’t look it, nor wink it, nor let it out in any way. There will
be somebody doubtful of our long talk here. Tell Gus Wilson and the
rest of them that I begged off, and made you promise me another week’s
trial.”
“Very well; I shall do so. No one shall learn anything from me.”
“Not Wilson, nor Fitler, nor none of them. The job can’t be done if it
gets in the wind.”
“But how will you manage to remain after night, without its being
known?”
“Easy enough. You send me away just afore six. Trust me to snake my way
back.”
Will then went quietly out of the office, leaving the merchant plunged
in deep thought.