copper-bottomed burglary'll make them hunt about all over the shop for
clues and things, and the odds are they'll find me out, even if they
don't book the real man. Shouldn't wonder if they had a detective down
for a big thing of this sort.'

'They are having one, I heard.'

'There you are, then,' said Jim, dejectedly. 'I'm done, you see.'

'I don't know. I don't believe detectives are much class.'

'Anyhow, he'll probably have gumption enough to spot me.'

Jim's respect for the abilities of our national sleuth-hounds was
greater than Tony's, and a good deal greater than that of most people.




[5]

CONCERNING THE MUTUAL FRIEND


'I wonder where the dear Mutual gets to these afternoons,' said Dallas.

'The who?' asked MacArthur. MacArthur, commonly known as the Babe, was
a day boy. Dallas and Vaughan had invited him to tea in their study.

'Plunkett, you know.'