"I shall open the safe, take out the papers, read them, and put them
back just as I found them. Will that do for you?"

He shook hands again, and took himself off.

At seven o'clock Mr. Emblem came down-stairs again.

"Has any one been?" he asked as usual.

"Only Mr. Joseph."

"What might Mr. Joseph want?"

"Nothing at all."

"Then," said his grandfather, "Mr. Joseph might just as well have kept
away."

* * * * *

Let us anticipate a little. James spent the next day hovering about in
the hope that an opportunity would offer of getting the key in his
possession for a few moments. There was no opportunity. The bunch of
keys lay on the table under the old man's eyes all day, and when he
left the table he carried them with him. But the day afterward he got
his chance. One of the old customers called to talk over past bargains
and former prizes. Mr. Emblem came out of the back shop with his
visitor, and continued talking with him as far as the door. As he
passed the table--James's table--he rested the hand which carried the
keys on it, and left them there. James pounced upon them and slipped