“Like a rotten egg!” exclaimed Mr. Moses. “Don’t let your mudder take any more of ’em, mein frient.” “All right,” replied Larry. “I’ll tell her to be more careful in the future. I suppose we’ll have to lose this money.” “Vere did you got it?” asked Mr. Moses with a cunning look. “A man--” began Larry, and then he hesitated. He did not know what might come from the affair, and he thought it might be better to keep quiet about it for a while. “Yes--yes!” exclaimed Mr. Moses eagerly. “A man gave it to her,” replied Larry, and then he went out of the pawnshop quickly to prevent the proprietor asking any more questions. CHAPTER XXIV A QUEER CAPTURE Many thoughts occupied Larry’s mind. For some time he had been suspicious of the men on the floor below him. That they were up to no good seemed evident, yet he felt that it was wrong to say, without more proof, that they were up to something bad. They were seldom seen in the daytime, and, though they moved about rather lively at night, Larry could see nothing through the crack that he could say was criminal, or that would bring the men under the law. Now, however, that the pawnbroker had told him the money one of the men had given Mrs. Dexter was bad, Larry began to have new suspicions. They were hardly definite enough to warrant his speaking to anyone concerning them, so he resolved to keep a closer watch. “Maybe they have friends who make counterfeit money,” thought Larry, “and they are trying to dispose of it for them. Maybe--” then he stopped in his train of thought suddenly. “I’ll bet they’re the counterfeiters themselves!” he exclaimed. “That’s what that strange light meant. That’s what they were doing the night I watched them. They melt the metal up and pour it into moulds. Then they try to pass it off for good coins.” Larry was so excited by his idea that he walked faster than usual, and, the first thing he knew, he was nearly two blocks past his house. He retraced his steps, and found his mother awaiting his return. “Well?” asked Mrs. Dexter, “is the money bad?” “I’m afraid so,” replied Larry. “Then we’ll have to lose it,” said Mrs. Dexter. “I don’t want to ask the man to take it back. He might say I got it somewhere else.” “That’s right, mother,” spoke Larry. “Say nothing about it to the man. If he offers you any more money, or asks for change, don’t take any or give any.” “Why, Larry? What’s the matter?” “I can’t say yet,” replied the boy. “I’ve had my suspicions for some time, but I want to be sure. I’ll speak to Mr. Newton about it.” That night Larry kept a close watch, through the crack in the floor, on the men below, but their place remained in darkness. None of them seemed to be at home, and Larry was wishing there was some way of getting into their apartments so he could see what they were making.