I’ve climbed some walls in my day, but that one was the worst. It was at least ten feet high and covered with glass at the top. The barrel we had to stand on was a tin ash-can that rattled if you looked at it. And we both had to jump from it to reach the top of the wall. It separated the apartment yard from the one next door. However, I threw Larry’s coat over the top to protect my hands from the glass, and we scrambled over somehow, dropping on to a border of soft earth on the other side. Larry managed to bring his coat down with him. Then, in single file, and moving as quietly as we could, we crossed yard after yard, scaling the fences as we came to them. Fortunately they were a good deal easier than the first one. For twenty minutes or so we kept up this scrambling and dropping, sneaking past lighted windows with our hearts in our mouths, and expecting every minute to have some one throw up one of the blank windows above us and yell for the police. Finally, when we were both puffing and blowing, and I, at least, was hopelessly lost, Larry caught my sleeve. “’Tis the house, sor,” he whispered. “And here is where we’re going in.” I stared up at the house. Every window was dark and I could hear no sound from inside. “But, great Scott, Larry,” I whispered, “where are all the servants?” For I knew that Mrs. Fawcette had three at least. “Gone, sor. Dismissed this morning. The lot av thim. I asked a housemaid who knew some av thim. Asked her who lived there, and what wid passin’ the toime av day, she told me that, too.” “Well, there’s somebody there at all events, for one of the front windows upstairs is lighted.” Then Larry gave me a fright. He chuckled and then whistled very gently. And before I could even tell him to shut up, there was a soft footfall behind us and some one blundered into us in the darkness. I grabbed the newcomer at once and felt for his throat, but Larry pulled my hands away. “Tis all right, sor. ’Tis a friend of mine,” he chuckled. “Well, Tim, phwat’s the news?” “Call off your friend first,” came a hoarse whisper. “Sure, ’tis a grip like a bear he has. But there’s no news at all, lad. Not a soul has gone in or come out since ye left this afternoon. I was watching out front till eleven. Then the block watchman came prowling around and I come on back here. While I wuz waitin’ I took the liberty av just liftin’ out thim bars fer ye, just to kape me hand in, like.” Larry chuckled again. “Tis a good friend ye are, Tim. But now do ye be gettin’ away out av ut an’ lave it to us. Good-night.” “Good-night,” came the hoarse whisper, and the stranger departed as noiselessly as he had come.