"Nickel Plate—down here!" exclaimed Billy.
"Yes, he is coming for a re-plating, and Bumbus and Drone are with him."
"They mustn't see me."
"That's the reason I called you. I suppose you don't mind hiding."
"Not at all."
"Then come along," and he led Billy into the works and to a dark, heavily barred vault marked "Gold." Throwing open the door, he invited Billy to enter. "This is where we keep the gold supply of the earth," he said. "Pick out a soft nugget to sit on, and make yourself at home—you had better lock yourself in."
"Thank you," said Billy, locking the door and pocketing the key. And as it was dark as pitch in the vault and light in the works, no one on the outside could well see through the bars of the door.
"This is fine, but I don't think I shall sit down, I want to see what they do."
He hadn't finished saying this when in walked Nickel Plate, Bumbus, and Drone, followed by the Coal Man.
"Yes," Nickel Plate was saying, as they entered, "I'm getting terribly rusty, and I need a new plating."