“That’s the game you are up to,” said he, as he seized one of them by the collar, and dragged him to the other side of the store. “See here, my lad, you are meddling with what don’t concern you,” said this man. “When the people come to the store in the morning, they will accuse you of being one of us.” “Just my luck!” exclaimed Wade Brooks. “You can do better, if you will let us loose. I will give you a thousand dollars on the spot, and a share of the swag,” continued the burglar. “No, I thank you. I would rather be honest than make a thousand dollars at your trade. That’s the sort of fellow I am,” said Wade. At this moment he heard a heavy knocking at the rear door. He at once concluded that this was some trick of the burglars’ accomplices outside, to gain admittance; and he prepared himself accordingly. He did not believe anybody could get ahead of him this time. CHAPTER XXXIX. HOW IT WAS IN THE MORNING. “Who’s there, and what do you want?” demanded Wade, in reply to the summons at the door. “Open the door,” said a man on the outside. “Not much!” replied the custodian of the fortress. “Open the door: I am the private watchman,” added the outsider. “If you are, you ought to have been around here about half an hour ago,” answered Wade, who did not even know what a private watchman was. “That’s Bleeker, the private watchman,” interposed the clerk. “I don’t care who it is: I won’t let any one in till morning. How do I know he is not the man who fired the pistol in the street?” argued Wade. “Besides, I don’t feel much like following your advice, after the way you have managed this business.” The private watchman, if it was he, rapped at the door till he was tired of it, and then he went off. Wade went his round again, and examined all his prisoners very carefully. He had them still, and they were all right. The last one visited was the clerk. “Won’t you let me off, my good fellow?” said this one, in a pleading tone. “No, I won’t: you let these robbers in, and you tried to shoot me,” answered Wade decidedly. “I didn’t mean to shoot you. I have a mother who depends on me to support her; and I don’t know what will become of her.” “I’m sure I don’t know,” added Wade; “but you ought to have thought of that before now.” A little later, the knocking at the back-door was renewed; and again the private watchman--at any rate, it was the same voice--demanded admittance. Wade made no reply. Then he heard the voices of two other men, who said they were policemen. “I won’t open the door to any one,” said Wade then. “The store has been broken into, and the robbers have friends on the outside; and I can’t tell the difference between you and them by the sound of your voices.” “Who are you?” asked one of the men outside. “I am the fellow that is holding the fort,” answered Wade. “The police here want to come in,” added the private watchman. “They can’t come in.” “Then we will break in the door,” added another.