"I fear you are too little for my business," replied Peggy, and as she spoke the words a new idea for accomplishing her purpose entered her mind. "Stay, love; I'll tell you what you can do. Take me back to the house and you shall hear."

Miss Outcast did her best, and as the burden was not great and the chair rolled easily, after some b.u.mping and shoving and pushing, Mrs. Myer found herself once more in her own room.

And, as she got her breath, she said: "Have you ever been to the river, dearie?"

"Oh, yes," answered the child, "father takes us down there every Sunday.

We love to stand on the bridge and watch the water dashing against the piers. It's such fun; you can't think."

"Could you go there alone?"

"Course I could; what do you want to know for?"

"Jerry is working there to-day, pet, and I have something important to tell him. If you can find your way to the mail-boat landing where he is helping to load up, and tell him to come to me right away, you'll be doing a good action."

"I wonder if mother will scold?"

"Tell her it was my doing, and if she will come hear my reasons she'll be satisfied. You'll hurry, won't you, dear?"

Miss Outcast promised, and, after repeating the message several times, started briskly off.

The river and the mail-boat were reached without trouble, but to find Jerry was another matter. A long stream of porters carrying bags of something reached from the wharf to the boat. Their heads were concealed by the burden, and their bodies looked so much alike that the child was bewildered.

She stood there, frightened and forlorn, almost forgetting why she had come, when Jerry himself caught sight of her.

"Why, little one," he exclaimed, dropping his load, and coming toward her. "What on earth are you doing here alone?"

Miss Outcast felt happy once more; she beamed on him. "Oh, Jerry, you are the very man I came to see; go home just as quick as ever you can to your wife."

"Peggy, my Peggy! Is she worse?" and the poor fellow looked the anguish he felt.

"I don't b'lieve she's 'zackly worse," said the child, feeling very big indeed, "but she's acting queer, and she's got something 'portant on her mind and sent me for you."

Jerry waited to hear no more, but, seizing the child's hand, started to run. Leaving her in her own street, he hurried on alone.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

His wife was watching for him, trembling and anxious. She was so relieved when he appeared that she burst into tears.

He took her frail body in his arms: "Why, Peggy, old girl, what has happened? Has anybody been hurting you?"

At these tender words she controlled herself and told him all that had occurred.

He was thunderstruck. "The scoundrels!" he muttered. "They surely wouldn't dare--but rest easy, love. We'll get ahead of them, never fear."

He thought deeply. "The best thing, wife, is not to alarm the ladies, but to see Mr. Morton himself. I'll go to him as fast as I can." But even in his haste he stopped to replenish the fire, settle Peggy's pillows more comfortably, and warm some soup for her.

Then he sought Mr. Morton's office and asked to see him privately.

Mr. Morton sent word that he was busy and did not wish to be disturbed.

"Tell him it's a serious matter," said Jerry.

Upon receiving this message Mr. Morton invited him in, and, closing the door of the little private office where he was in the habit of holding confidential interviews with his clients, he prepared to listen with a bored air.

"I'm Jerry, sir," the visitor began, "Jerry Myer. You may not know me, sir, but I know you, and your children--they call me Paddy--'Paddy on the Turnpike.'"

"Oh, it's Paddy, is it?" said Morton, remembering.

"Yes, sir; no, sir--that is, it's Jerry, sir."

"Well, Jerry, be quick; what can I do for you this afternoon?"

And Jerry began:

"You see, sir, my wife, being poorly, has to sit all the time indoors.

Our little cottage is just across the street from your fine house, sir; next to the convent wall with only a bit of a pa.s.sway between; and Peggy, she's my wife, overheard two men, hiding there, talking and planning as how they would rob you to-night and drug you, and there's no telling what else besides."

"How is this?" cried Mr. Morton, "I'm to be robbed and drugged, am I?"

and the great lawyer looked as if he thought the man was losing his wits.

But Jerry began and told a straight tale; told it so circ.u.mstantially and truthfully that Mr. Morton, forced to believe it, was genuinely alarmed.

He immediately summoned the police, and, after a rapid consultation, a plan was formed to capture the thieves.

Jerry was to unlock the big iron gates in the convent wall, where the coal-carts were in the habit of driving in. Two of the police were to hide there, and keep an eye on the house opposite until they saw a burglar number one admitted by the traitorous nurse-girl. Then they were to return at dark and guard the front of the house, so as to cut off all retreat from that direction. Two more of the force were to hide in the Mortons' stable, and prevent escape from the rear. Mr. Morton was to remain inside to avert suspicion and to give the alarm in case any violence was attempted. He was also to practise a little stratagem to prevent any of the family from drinking the drugged coffee.

"Don't seem to do anything unusual," counselled the chief. "Go to bed, and pretend to sleep. Let them rob you, and when they come out we will take care of them and their booty."

"And what am I to do, sir?" asked Jerry.

"You have done enough, man; you go home and stay with your sick wife.

She will be anxious if we expose you to danger."

You see, the officers wished to put both Mr. Morton and Jerry out of the affair, so that they could have all the glory of the capture.

CHAPTER VII.

WHERE WAS PEGGY?

When told to go home to his sick wife, Jerry obeyed. But what was his surprise, on reaching his tiny cottage, to find the shutters all closed, though it was early afternoon, and the front door held fast on the outside by two great tenpenny nails.

Where was Peggy? For the nailed door showed that she was not inside.

To be sure, smoke was still coming out of the chimney, but this was accounted for when he remembered the big fire he had built before he left. Where, where was Peggy?