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"By usual luck!" he exclaimed. "But dever bide: I'll go."

And he did go, boldly—up to the window; and stopped, and examined the little articles exhibited therein, and then went back to Sylvester fraught with an idea.

"Syl," said he, with a doubtful expression. "I say! will it look well, do you thidk, for wud fellow to go id with two watches?"

"Perhaps not," returned Sylvester; who began to wish that he hadn't embarked at all in this expedition.

"Who kdows," resumed Tom, "they bay thidk that I stole theb. I'll tell you what, Syl; let's go idto this public-house, add talk over the batter calbly."

Into the public-house they accordingly went; and when Sylvester had ordered a bottle of soda-water for himself, and Tom had called, of course, for a pot of porter, they sat down with the view of having a calm discussion on the intricate ramifications of the case.

"Dow," said Tom, "the questiod is, what's best to be dode? Add id the first place, what do you suggest?"

"Why, I think that we had better give it up!" replied Sylvester.

"Give it up! Dever! We'll have the buddy. Stop a bidite," said he, as the waiter entered; "there, that'll do: we'll oped that. Dow," he added, having pulled out two-thirds of the porter, "I'b ready for adythidg id life. I'll tell you what I'll do; I'll go over with wud, add thed they cad have doe suspiciod."

"Well then, take mine," said Sylvester.

"Doe: that wod't do. Suppose they ask if the watch is by owd? Dod't you see? I cad't say yes. Add if I were, add it should cobe to a search, add the officer were to fide adother watch id by pocket—but that I could leave here: yes, I bight do that: still I'd better take by owd. I wudder what sort of questiods they usually ask. I'll bet ted to wud I'b bowled out."

"Then don't go."

"Dot go! What are you talkidg about? What have I to fear? 'I wadt you to ledd be ted poudds upod this.' That's all I have to say; add a child could say that. I have seed childred frequedtly go id alode. If they should have ady doubt about the batter, I'll bridg theb over here. But thed it bight cobe to a pair of haddcuffs; we bight thed be barched off together od suspiciod."

"We had better give it up," said Sylvester. "You had better not go."

"Go! I'll go!" cried Tom, valiantly; and having finished his porter, he left the room with the air of a man who fully expected to meet an enraged rhinoceros.

During his absence, Sylvester was filled with apprehension. He conceived that Tom might be suspected of dishonesty—that he might be detained—that he might be given into the custody of a policeman, and that the result would be a humiliating exposure. He tried to subdue the fears thus inspired, but as Tom was absent a very long time, they every moment acquired fresh strength.

At length, however, Tom returned, and on entering the room he dashed his hat upon the table, and exclaimed—