As soon as the two men entered, they started to talk of dividing the contents of the bags as soon as they reached the house of one of the men, who was called Parker by the other, whose name was Bulger. Dick soon learned the bag contained the contents of a burglary which the two men had committed on a large house in the vicinity, and that they had had an exciting encounter with one of the servants. Dick felt that he was in bad company. In leaning a little too heavily on one foot a board creaked, which sound the two thieves heard, and they started to investigate. Dick retreated into a corner of the room. One of the thieves heard him and made a dive for the spot. As Dick could not see the crook any better than that individual could see him, he was taken by surprise when the muscular arms of the man suddenly encountered him and he was immediately seized and dragged out of the corner. The crook saw that it was a boy he had hold of. "Now, you young imp, I've got you!" he cried triumphantly. "What are you hidin' up in this place for?" "What's that to you?" replied Dick pluckily. "Sassy, are you? I reckon I'll take some of the sass out'r you before I'm through with you. Come along." He dragged the boy into the next room. "Open the winder and let's take a squint at this chap," said Bulger. Parker threw up the dirty window overlooking the road, but the amount of light that came in did not greatly help matters out. "How came you in this house?" said Bulger. "I came here to get out of the storm," replied Dick. "Oh, you did; then why didn't you show yourself when we came in?" "Why should I?" "You heard us come in, didn't you?" "Yes." "And you didn't let on you were here. You've been listenin' to our talk." Dick made no reply. "You heard all we said, didn't you?" said Bulger, giving the boy a rough shake. "You say I did." "I know you did." "Then what's the use of asking me, if you know so much?" "Because I want you to admit it." "I'll admit nothing." "I'll choke the life out of you if you don't!" said the crook savagely. "I haven't done you any harm, what do you want to treat me this way for?" "But you intend to squeal on us as soon as you get away." "What will I squeal about?" "About what you heard." "I haven't said that I heard anything." "Who are you, anyway?" said Bulger, suddenly changing his line of questioning. "My name is Dick Darling." "Where do you live around here?" "I don't live around here at all." "You don't? Know anybody named Darling about here, Parker?" "No. He looks like a stranger to me as well as I can see him," said Parker. "Where do you live, then?" demanded Bulger. "In New York." "New York!" roared the crook. "What are you givin' me?" "That's the truth." "What are you doin' 'way down here in Jersey, then? Who are you visitin'?" "Nobody. I was sent to Springville on an errand by my boss." "Where's Springville, Parker?" "It's a village on the railroad about eight miles from here."