"Yis," said Jim, laughing, "but I choked 'em off."
"How did you choke them off?"
"I telled 'em both I'd lick 'em if they ever blowed. They didn't want to blow any, to speak on, but Mike Conlin come in with a hundred dollars of Belcher's money in his jacket, an' helped me nuss my man for a week; an' I got a Happy David out o' Sam Yates, an' ther's the dockyment;" and Jim drew from his pocket the instrument with which the reader is already familiar.
Mr. Balfour had seen the paper, and told Jim that it was not necessary in the case. Mr. Belcher looked very red in the face, and leaned over and whispered to his lawyer.
"That is all," said Mr. Balfour.
Mr. Cavendish rose. "You helped Mr. Benedict to escape, did you, Jim?"
"I said so," replied Jim.
"Did you steal the key when you were there first?"
"No; I borrered it, an' brung it back an left it in the door."
"Did you undo the fastenings of the outside door?"