The shapeless old cap emitted but one word. "Perlice." Ned was silent for a moment. The old cap bobbed about very merrily, for Pete executed a double shuffle of derision and triumph. "Perlice hes got nothin' ter do with me," Ned declared stoutly. "The theaytre folks would jes' put me outer doors,--an' they hes got ter ketch me fust." He wagged his red head as much as to say that this should be a tough job. Pete still danced. "Perlice will take ye ter the lock-up for beatin' fifty cents outer the theaytre folks." The devil snapped his fingers. The dance paused for the more serious business of argument. "An' for breakin' in the back window, an' mebbe stealin' di'monds an' fine fixin's outer the star's dressin'-room. I'm goin' ter the station right now with that tale," added the shameless Pete. "Come down out o' that there window or go ter jail,--you bet!" He looked up anxiously. How he grudged the pleasure that he could not share! Ned, although startled, surprised, and angry, perceived the net that circumstance was beginning to weave about him. But he would not listen to the counsels of prudence,--for when had he ever taken a dare? Besides, he hardly believed that Pete meant to make good his threat. "They'll need something more than yer word, ye lyin' hoodlum!" he said, shaking his fist at the shabby old cap below. "Ef the perlice kin find a cobweb o' proof that I stole actor's di'monds I'll go ter jail without wunking a wink." With this boast he sprang down and disappeared amidst the glooms within. The clouds were parting before the rising moon. Its golden rays fell upon the empty window. The dragon looked out and grinned. Pete stood in baffled anger and astonishment listening to his friend's stealthy steps till the sound died away in the distance. Then settling his cap more firmly on his head, he ran swiftly down the alley, up the side street, and out upon the broad avenue. CHAPTER II Meantime Ned was timorously skulking about in that strange, unkempt, haggard world known as "behind the scenes." He realized that it was to him a foreign world, and he bore himself with the alert suspiciousness of an alien. He kept an anxious lookout for the red jackets of the scene-shifters, and whenever he saw them bespangling the gray shadows of those dreary canvas vistas he dodged dexterously behind other "flats" and into deeper glooms. "I've got to keep my eye peeled or some o' them fellers will ketch me sure!" he said to himself.