"As we were coming down the street," said Rehoboam, "I said to Nathaniel, 'Brother, I am sure Rufus Stevens' Sons will be open and thriving as usual.' It is not for nothing," and Rehoboam showed all the spaces between his teeth in a wide smile, "that this business has earned such approval in the community." Tom Horn did not speak; he sat on his long-legged stool, and looked at them, as a man might look at a pair of corbies that had thrust themselves upon his attention. "You are Mr. Horn," said Nathaniel, grinning engagingly; "Mr. Horn, who has been with the house so long. Faithful service, sir, will be rewarded. Oh, yes, sooner or later, it will be rewarded. That is a rule that has never failed." He looked about and asked, "Where is Mr. Charles?" "I don't know," said Tom Horn. "He has not gone away!" said Nathaniel hastily. "Oh, no. _He_ would not be afraid of the plague." "He is still in the city," affirmed Rehoboam. "He has been seen more than once of late, in the street, and working with the grave-makers in the potter's-field." "I have not said he had gone away," answered Tom Horn. "I have said, I do not know where he is; and no more do I." "Very well," said Nathaniel. "It does not matter. We may see Captain Weir, I suppose?" "You may," said Tom Horn, "if he is willing." It proved that the captain was, and the twins, gangling, grinning, vulture-like, went into the room where he sat. "We were quite sure we'd find you at your post," said Rehoboam. "No matter what the day, or who be absent, we knew you'd be at hand." "Sit down," said Weir, and he said it coldly. And when they had done so, he added, "What is your errand?" "A trifle," said Nathaniel. "Only a trifle." He coughed behind his hand and looked at Rehoboam. It was Rehoboam who spoke. "It may, or may not, have come to your attention," said he, "but in the past half-year Mr. Charles Stevens has had some dealings with our house. A number of times--how often was it, brother?" appealing to Nathaniel. "Four times," said Nathaniel. "Exactly four." "Just four," Rehoboam told Captain Weir. "I like to be quite correct. Four times in the past half-year, Mr. Charles Stevens requested us to come here; we did so, and each time a transaction was entered in our books." "He borrowed money of your father," said Captain Weir; "I know that." "The bills," said Rehoboam, "were dated some few months or so apart. Of course," and he grinned at Captain Weir most calculatingly, "our calling here to-day is the merest form--" "It means nothing at all," said Nathaniel. "But, now that we are here," said Rehoboam, "it will do no harm, I think, to say that the first of the bills will be due in three days' time." "No difficulty is expected," said Nathaniel. "Such a thing has not entered our minds. But clerks will sometimes make mistakes; they will sometimes forget--" Captain Weir stopped them.