"I want you to be there to help me to prepare the trap, kid. None of my men can palm themselves off as kids and it seems that Devlin has been playing up to kids only. That's why you're going to Delafield. You're going to help me find out why he's been acting so generous when I know that he isn't the type of man to do anything like that without there being money in it somewhere. Dean Devlin never did anything for nothing. And so you're going to put yourself in his way when he makes that visit on Friday--I'll see to it that you have every opportunity. What's more, you're going to fall in with any plans he may make for you." "Boy, it sounds terrible excitin', Mr. Conne!" "Not dangerously so," the detective assured him. "One of our men, Dorcas is his name, will either go up with you or be up there on Friday and so be on hand if you need him. You'll have no cause to worry--you won't be alone at any time if you do just as you're told. But there won't be any real danger, kid--I wouldn't let you into this if there was. Dean Devlin is a notorious swindler and blackmailer and though he can cause plenty of excitement when he's on the trail, I've never heard of him laying a hand on anybody. He's after money, not people." "Gee whiz," Skippy said stoutly, "I wouldn't be afraid anyhow!" "That's why I've taken an interest in you, kid. All you want is nerve--courage enough to go through with your part, and keep your mind and eyes on all that Dean Devlin does and says. You've got a job and I might as well warn you that how well you do it will determine your permanent employment by this company. In other words, it's to be your entrance exam, so you better try to pass it!" "Gee, will I pass it!" Skippy cried exultantly. "You'll see how I'm gonna pass it, Mr. Conne!" "That's the talk, kid," the detective said with a half-smile. "And when Dean Devlin is where he can't take any more money from my clients or anybody else, I'll talk to you about staying on for a regular job." CHAPTER IV JOHN DOE In the Juvenile Court next day, Skippy was duly arraigned and sentenced. An International Detective Agency man posing as an irate merchant pressed a charge of petty larceny against John Doe, orphan, no home and a native of the city of New York. The evening papers carried a small first page story on this original John Doe who was about to spend his first night of a four year sentence in the Delafield Reformatory.