"Gentlemen, I will count this money before you," said the janitor, as he opened the parcel.
The count was quickly accomplished. It resulted, as my readers already know, in the discovery that, in place of twelve thousand, the parcel contained but one thousand dollars.
"Eleven thousand dollars short!" said Jack. "Gentlemen, will you take notice of this? Of course it is clear where the rest is gone—Talbot carried it away with him."
"Where is he?" inquired one of the policemen. "He ought to be pursued."
"By this time he is in custody," said Jack.
"Look here, old man, who engineered this thing?" demanded Bill.
"Come here, Dan," said Jack, summoning our hero, who modestly stood in the background. "Mr. Burglar, this boy is entitled to the credit of defeating you. We should have known nothing of your intentions but for Dan, the Detective."
"He!" said Bill, scornfully. "Why, I could crush him with one hand."
"Force is a good thing, but brains are better," said Jack. "Dan here has got a better head-piece than any of us."