The amazement of the bankers was taken for doubt by the expert, so he went on to a further explanation. “We’ve long suspected something of this kind, but could never get our hands on it. Through this discovery we’ve done a great service to the banking people of the country. Any number of banks have been robbed by the mere opening of the vaults and safes with combination numbers, all of which were supposed to be kept secret; only known to one or two officials or employees of a bank. This is a great discovery.” And the expert was right. If it so happen that these pages meet the eyes of any one using these locks with the same dials to-day, he will at once realize how utterly worthless they are as a safeguard against the real professional burglar. I know positively that the “Little Joker” was the cause of many alterations in the Lillie locks, and its loss to me greatly interfered with my hitherto easy access to bank vaults and kept not a little funds away from me. Having been defeated by no one but himself, Mark reported to me, and feeling much chagrined over the failure of our “on-the-side” job, he returned to New York and we continued our scheming for the millions in the Ocean Bank. Mark had played a lone hand and lost. I was sorry, and of course he felt badly enough over his bungling, so nothing was said. None of us is infallible. CHAPTER XVIII DISPOSITION OF OCEAN BANK LOOT I have no doubt that my readers will readily believe that shortly after the opening of the Ocean Bank vault on the morning after our departure there was a considerable stir in the financial world, especially that part of it located at the corner of Fulton and Greenwich streets. The two hundred thousand dollars that we left on the vault floor enabled the bank to meet its engagements at the clearing house that day; the police closed the bank’s doors early in the day, thus preventing a run; and the bank did not fail. That is, it did not fail then. On that Sunday afternoon, after we had removed a million and a half from the vault, and paid a visit to Jack McCord’s house as related in the last chapter, he went out of his house on that day, breaking his custom in this respect. He hunted up the other members of the Ring, and notified them all, including Captain Irving, to be at headquarters by nine o’clock the next morning without fail. At that hour one of my coaches with my finest team stood in Crosby Street near Houston. My best driver held the ribbons over them. In due time came the notice to headquarters of the robbery of the bank. Captain Irving and Detectives McCord and Kelso thereupon hastened to the corner of Crosby and Houston streets and boarded my coach. The horses were started at their best gait, and the detectives were soon at the scene of the loot.