"So you propose to break into his shop to-night and steal the book?"
"There seems to be nothing else to do, Mr. Vaux."
"Of course," he remarked sarcastically, "we could turn this matter over to the proper authorities—"
"I WON'T! PLEASE don't!"
"Why not?"
"Because I have concluded that it IS part of our work. And I've begun already. I went to see Lauffer. I took a photograph to be framed."
"What does he look like?"
"A mink—an otter—one of those sharp-muzzled little animals!—Two tiny eyes, rather close together, a long nose that wrinkles when he talks, as though he were sniffing at you; a ragged, black moustache, like the furry muzzle-bristles of some wild thing—that is a sketch of Herman Lauffer."
"A pretty man," commented Vaux, much amused.
"He's little and fat of abdomen, but he looks powerful."