The head of the firm left his position on the copper, and stood in the shadow of one of the iron fireproof doors. Any conspiracy taking place in the building was his affair without doubt.
Another person having joined the conspirators, George listened with interest.
"Any luck?" asked Busby.
"None," answered Gray. "He's put me off so far, and I thought it best to let it go at that for the present. I don't know how to force his hand. We must come to some decision about what we are going to do while there's the chance."
"Not so loud," cautioned Busby, lowering his voice; "you don't know who may be about."
"There's nobody up here," said Gray, irritably, but the two lowered their voices, so that George Early could only catch a word here and there.
The caution was relaxed after a while, when Gray said—
"Then that's fixed up. I'll tackle him tomorrow, and let him see that we mean business. Won't little Georgie swear! We'll have a hundred each down to begin with; no paltry fivers."
George shivered.
"Two hundred," said Parrott, greedily.