"Hullo, Dick; what is it?" said the man behind the counter. "You haven’t taken to smoking, have you?" "No," said Dick, who hardly knew how to begin his curious story. "What is it then? Anything wrong at home?" "No; we’re all right, thanks. I say, Mr. Martin, what did that chap buy who was in here just now?" "Packet of cigarettes," answered the man, looking in surprise at his questioner. "Would you know him again?" "Pick him out of a thousand, if you like." "Did he give you a shilling?" "Eh?" said Martin, opening the till hastily, and taking out the coin. "Is it bad?" And he rang it on the counter. "Sounds all right," he added with a sigh of relief, "and there doesn’t seem anything the matter with it. But one is never safe with these young sharks." He held the coin up to the light, turning it round and round, and examining it attentively. "Good enough," he decided, and was about to put it back, when something again arrested his attention. "Hullo!" he exclaimed, "some one has scratched a circle and star here. Looks like a private mark." And he handed it to Dick. The boy was in such a state of excitement that he could hardly see. What was the meaning of this? Had Mr. Broad, suspecting something wrong, laid a trap for Jim? It seemed very much like it. But if he had marked one coin he had probably marked others. The very notion made Dick shudder. He felt sure that Curly had passed some money to Jim. Suppose it happened to be marked too! "Good gracious!" he thought in despair; "they’ll take him to prison like a common thief! The disgrace will kill his mother!" Noticing the agitation which Dick could not conceal, the shopkeeper said,— "What’s it all about, Dicky? I hope you haven’t got mixed up in anything wrong?" "No," answered the boy. "But trust me; I’ll tell you all about it to-morrow. I must be off now; and, I say, Mr. Martin, keep that shilling by itself, will you? I shouldn’t be surprised if the police want to see it." "All right, Dick. It shall be ready for them." "Thank you," said Dick, and left the shop. "I wonder now," mused the shopkeeper, "what the game is. Something queer, by the youngster’s showing. But he’s an honest little chap, and sharp as a knife. Well, I’ll put the shilling away." Looking round, he discovered an empty tobacco tin, in which he placed the coin, and then locked it up in one of the drawers. "No doubt the youngster will be back again, presently," he said to himself, "and I shall hear what it’s all about. It’s very curious, anyhow." Meanwhile Dick, hot and flustered, was threading his way through the side street. He was too excited to steer very cautiously, but, after numerous bumps and joltings, he found himself at the top, where the traffic was less dense.