Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/116

110 of giving the police a quiet hint to keep watch on us, and catch us in our next operation."

"I haven't! I never thought of it!" said Honest John Driver, with a quickness which assured me that he had.

"Well, I want to warn you that the moment we find ourselves being watched, and we are sure to find it out, we shall instantly take steps to knock, you on the head. I needn't point out how likely we are to succeed. We've shown you what we can do."

"I shouldn't dream of it! I shouldn't dream of it!" cried Driver. "I know what an escape I've had! Besides, I bear no malice in business—never. If a man bests me, he bests me. Why, I may be working with him again in a month—as I hope to be with you, as I hope to be with you."

"Our terms will be cash in advance for the future," I said coldly.

"It's a system I object to—strongly—on principle. But—but—yes; in your case I'd make an exception."

"You'd have to," said I.

"There's really no need for you to be afraid of me. There isn't, really," he said earnestly. "After all, I've only paid you twenty-five per cent. for the extra profit I made by getting poor Pudleigh out of the way."

"We'd have made it more, if we'd known," said I.