"Hello," said he. "Yes, this is Nickel Plate--Oh! good morning, Mr. Bogie Man--Sh-h-h--Don't speak so loudly. Some one may see you.--No--Bumbus has not returned with Honey Girl--I'm sorry, sir, but I expect him every minute. I'll let you know as soon as I can. Oh! yes, he is to substitute Glucose for Honey Girl and return here for further villainous orders. Oh! a--excuse me, but can you help me with a little loan of--hello--hello--pshaw he's rung off. Central--ting-a-ling-a-ling--Central, won't you give me Bogie Man again, please--what! he's left orders not to connect us again--_well!_--good-bye." "Now then what am I to do? I have just one nickel to my name and I can't spend that. If Bumbus has failed I don't know what we shall do. A fine state of affairs for a man with an ossified conscience and a good digestion--ha-a-a, what is that?" "Buzz-z-z," came a sound through the open window. "Is that Bumbus?" called Nickel Plate in a loud whisper. "I be," answered Bumbus, climbing over the sill and darting to a chair. "Why didn't you come in by the door?--you know how paneful a window is to me." "When _is_ a cow?" said Bumbus, perching himself on the back of his chair and fanning himself with his foot. "Sometimes, I think--" began Nickel Plate, angrily. "Wrong answer; besides it's not strictly true," said Bumbus, turning his large eyes here and there as he viewed his master. "A truce to foolishness," said Nickel Plate, "what news--but wait--" and taking two wads of cotton out of his pocket he stuffed them in two cracks in the wall--"walls have ears--we will stop them up--proceed." "Honey Girl has disappeared," whispered Bumbus. "Gone! and her golden comb?" "She has taken it with her." "Gone," growled Nickel Plate--"but wait, I am not angry enough for a real villain"; lighting a match he quickly swallowed it. "Ha, ha! now I am indeed a fire eater. Gadzooks, varlet! and how did she escape us?" Bumbus hung his head. "Alas, sir, with much care did I carry Glucose to the Palace of the Queen Bee to substitute her for Honey Girl--dressed to look exactly like her, even to a gold-plated comb. I had bribed Drone, the sentry, to admit us in the dead of night. Creeping softly through the corridors of the Castle, with Glucose in my arms, I came to the door of Honey Girl. I opened the door and crept quietly into the room; all was still. I reached the dainty couch and found--" "Yes," said Nickel Plate excitedly. "I found it empty; Honey Girl had fled." "Sweet Honey Girl! alas, have we lost you? also which is more important, the reward for the abduction--but revenge, revenge!" hissed Nickel Plate. "What did you do with Glucose?" "Glucose has gone back to her work in the factory," said Bumbus, "but will come back to us whenever we wish." "Enough," said Nickel Plate, "Bogie Man must know of this at once. I will telephone him--but no, he has stopped the connection. Will you take the message?" "Sir, you forget."