“It’s understood,” said Collins, “when the Bradys are safe outen the way you will pay us ten thousand in gold?” “That is right!” agreed Blood. “Then the job is as good as done!” “They are a pair of foxes!” The trio laughed in a blood-curdling way. “Don’t ye fear!” said Burke. “Well, it’s worth that to me,” said Blood. “Once they are out of the way the course is pretty clear.” “Wall, it oughter be.” “I fear nobody else.” “Ten thousand in gold!” said Burke. “That will take us to Australia. The twenty thousand we got fer the Fifteenth street job will start us in business, all right!” “Yes, and I wish you luck!” said Blood. “Make the work sure!” “Did ye ever know us to fail?” “Well, no!” “Very well. Ye’ll see that we’ll take keer of them Bradys all right.” “Look here!” cried Collins. “What be ye going to do with that young Banks, anyway?” “I’m going to arrest him,” replied Blood. This interested the detectives. “Arrest him?” “Yes.” “Ah! Have ye got the right evidence, think ye?” “My man Scott, a private detective, has worked that all right. Some of the girl’s jewelry, and a lace necktie stained with blood will be found in young Banks’ room to-morrow. Also, there’ll be blood on some of his clothes.” The trio laughed grimly. “You’ll do!” jeered Burke. “If you’d join us this trio might become a quartette.” At this there was a general laugh. Then Blood arose to go. “All right,” he said in parting, “see that you do your work well by the Bradys. I’ll keep an eye out all the while.” Blood left the place. Then the trio also separated for the night. It was a peculiarity of theirs to be seldom found together. The Bradys had gained the most valuable of information. “We have got them solid!” cried Old King Brady. “We can now easily checkmate them.” “What do you advise?” asked Harry. “We must see young Banks at once.” “So I think!” “He must be put on his guard and the dastardly scheme of Blood’s frustrated. Then we will have sufficient against both Blood and the trio.” “And arrest them?” “Instantly!” “Good! Nothing could be better.” The Bradys left Sly Jimmie’s place. The air was crisp and cold, for the frigidity of winter had not yet passed away. They did not attempt to shadow any individual member of the gang. But they started at once for the lodgings of young Banks. He roomed, while at work in the city, in Irving Place. The room was a specimen of the sort usually found in lodging houses. As is usually the case in New York, Allerton knew none of the other lodgers. He simply knew that a tall, hawk-eyed man roomed next to him. But he had never ventured a surmise as to the man’s character or identity. The chambermaid had caught Mr. Scott, the hawk-eyed man, one day trying to fit skeleton keys to Allerton’s door. But Mr. Scott profusely explained that he had got the wrong room by mistake and went into his own room. All this the Bradys possessed themselves of very quickly after arriving at Allerton’s lodging house.