"This way, fellows! Don't let anybody see us come in!"

Thus cautioned Ikey as he led his "prospective victims," as Dunk referred to himself and the others, through various back streets and alley ways.

"Why the caution?" Andy wanted to know, stumbling over an unseen obstruction, and nearly falling.

"Hush!" whispered the Jew. "I want you, my friends, to have the pick of the bargains first. After that the others may come in. If some of the seniors knew of these vawses there wouldn't be one left."

"Oh, well we mustn't let that happen!" laughed Dunk. "I know I'm going to get stuck, but lead on, Horatio. I'm game."

"Stuck, is it?" cried Ikey, and he seemed hurt at the suggestion. "Wait until you have seen, eh, Hashmi?"

"Of a surely, yes. They are beautiful!"

"And so cheap; are they not, Hashmi?"

"Of a surely, yes."

"Where are you taking us, anyhow?" demanded Thad. "I thought we were going to Burke's."

"So we are, later," said Dunk. "I want to see some of this junk, though.

Our room does need a bit of decoration, eh, Andy?"

"Yes, it can stand a few more things."

"But where are we going, anyhow?" Bob demanded. "This looks like a chop-suey joint."

"Hush!" cautioned Ikey again. "Some of the fellows may be around. There is a Chinese restaurant upstairs."

"And what's downstairs?" asked Andy.

"Why, Hashmi had to hire a vacant room to put the packing box in when it came from j.a.pan," explained Ikey. "It was too big to take up to his joint. Besides, it's filled with straw, you know, so the vawses couldn't smash. He's just got it in this vacant store temporarily. You fellows have the first whack at it."

"Well, let's get the whacking over with," suggested Andy. "I had all I wanted at Yale Field this afternoon."

They came to a low, dingy building, at the side of which ran a black alley.

"In here--mind your steps!" warned Ikey.

They stumbled on, and then came to a halt behind the college salesman.

He shot out a gleam of radiance from a pocket electric flashlight and opened a door.

"Hurry up!" he whispered, and as the others slipped in he closed and locked the portal. "Are the shades down, Hashmi?" he asked.

"Of a surely, yes."

"Then show the fellows what your ancestors sent you."

There was the removal of boards from a big packing case that stood in the middle of a bare room. There was the rustle of straw, and then, in the gleam of the little electric flash the boys saw a confused jumble of j.a.panese vases and other articles in porcelain, packed in the box.

"There, how's that?" demanded Ikey, triumphantly, as he picked one up.

"Wouldn't that look swell on your mantel, Dunk?"

"It might do to hold my tobacco."

"Tobacco! You heathen! Why, that jar is to hold the ashes of your ancestors!"

"Haven't any ancestors that had ashes as far as I know," said Dunk, imperturbably. "I can smoke enough cigar ashes to fill it, though."

"Hopeless--hopeless," murmured Ikey. "But look--such a bargain, only seven dollars!"

"Holy mackerel!" cried Andy. "Seven dollars for a tobacco jar!"

"It isn't a tobacco jar, I tell you!" cried Ikey. "It's like the old Egyptian tear vawses, only different. Seven dollars--why it's worth fifteen if it's worth a cent. Ain't it, Hashmi?"

"Of a surely, yes," said the j.a.p, with an inscrutable smile.

"But he'll let you have it for just a little more than the wholesale price in j.a.pan, mind you--in j.a.pan!" cried Ikey. "Seven dollars. Think of it!"

"What about your commission?" asked Thad, with a grin.

"A mere nothing--I must live, you know," and Ikey shrugged his shoulders. "Do you want it, Dunk? Why don't you fellows pick out something? You'll wait until they're gone and be kicking yourselves.

They're dirt cheap--bargains every one. Look at that vawse!" and he held up another to view in the pencil of light from the flash torch.

"It would do for crackers, I suppose," said Andy, doubtfully.

"Crackers!" gasped Ikey. "Tell him what it is for, Hashmi. I haven't the heart," and he pretended to weep.

"This jar--he is for the holding of the petals of roses that were sent by your loved ones--the perfumes of Eros," murmured the poetical j.a.panese.

"Oh, for the love of tripe! Hold me, I'm going to faint, Gertie!" cried Bob. "Rose petals from your loved ones! Oh, slush!"

"It is true," and Hashmi did not seem to resent being laughed at. "But it would do for crackers as well."

"How much?" asked Andy.

"Only five dollars--worth ten," whispered Ikey.

"Well, it would look nice on my stand," said Andy weakly. "I--I'll take it."

"And I guess you may as well wish me onto that dead ancestor jar," added Dunk. "I'm always getting stuck anyhow. Seven plunks is getting off easy."

"You will never regret it," murmured Ikey. "Where is that paper, Hashmi?

Now don't you fellows let anyone else in on this game until I give the word. I'm taking care of my friends first, then the rest of the bunch.

Friends first, say I."

"Yes, if you're going to stick anybody, stick your friends first,"

laughed Dunk. "They're the easiest. Go ahead, now you fellows bite," and he looked at Bob, Thad and Ted.

"What's this--a handkerchief box?" asked Ted, picking up one covered with black and gold lacquer.