“That’s just what I say,” went on Benson laughingly. “I know that I can put her somewhere that she won’t bother me. Now, old man, will you help me, and I’ll see that you are well paid?” * * * * * Just at this moment a young fellow with the air of a sailor came in. “Are you the chump what runs this place?” asked he, going up to the pawnbroker, “for if you are I want to pawn this suit of clothes. They are bran’ new, and ought to give me a little ready cash.” “I’ll look at them when I get through with this gentleman,” and the broker turned disdainfully away. Then the two, Tom Cooper and Benson, recognized each other. “Well, well, Tom, you do look like a typical Jack in earnest. So you’ve come back to try your luck, have you, again upon land?” “Yes, siree, to get even with you, Mr. Benson,” replied the sailor. “You lied about me; that I know. Now I am going to see just what you are doing, Mr. George Benson.” “Well, don’t you monkey in my affairs,” shouted George, “or I will deal with you as I did before. You went from New York because I made it too hot to hold you. Now, be careful.” “Oh, I suppose you’d like to hurt me all right. I went to see Mr. Benson last night, and they said he was too sick to see anyone.” “So he is, to see a ragmuffin,” sneered Benson. “It’s a wonder he harbors you, if he is so very particular,” retorted Tom. “So you tried to get into the house, did you?” “Yes, why not? It was my home, the same as yours.” “Not quite. You always were an interloper, so beware.” Tom leaned far over and looked keenly at Benson. “What have you done with Annie Benson?” “What have I done with her?” replied Benson threateningly. “I don’t know anything about her. She is nothing to me.” How George Benson would have liked to have told the young fellow that he was the beneficiary to his uncle’s will, but he knew that the boy would find out differently, so he remained silent. “What happened?” asked Nathans. “Did the old man give you the grand bounce, too?” “Yes, but not for anything that I did, but because of that villain standing there. I suppose he thought that I would help find Miss Annie and bring her back to her home. Well, that’s what I came back for, Mr. Benson.” Tom Cooper saw that he was putting the thorns into the other’s flesh, and kept on: “I am going to spend the rest of my days finding that girl.” Benson walked close to him and looked into his face. “I want to tell you something, Tom Cooper, you had better go back to sea, for if you don’t I can tell you that there won’t be much show for you if I once get my hands on you.” “I’m not afraid of you, mister,” shouted Tom, snapping his fingers into George’s face. “And, what’s more,” he added, “I have made up my mind that you are not playing fair with our little playmate of long ago, any more than you used to play fair when you stole money from her father’s pocket. But I am going to find her if it takes me all the rest of my life.”